Highly Inappropriate
by Foxissofoxy
Summary: Rick finds himself discovering levels in which inappropriate behavior and thoughts permeate his work and home-life. Michonne tests his ability to see things clearly because she wants to blur the lines but not unless he is ready. (Random Plot driven. AU and Possible OOC) (NONLINEAR Tendencies)
1. Designating You

_Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."_  
 _― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land _

* * *

Her name is Michonne. She was someone I would have never hired if I had a choice. I didn't have a choice. _One_ she's African American with dreads. A peculiar hairstyle for office but the way she wore them, I got over it. She kept them tidy. _Two_ she's an African American woman, and that meant attitude, backtalk, Z formation with a snap, snap, snap. I had my beliefs in certain stereotypes, and from my limited interaction I didn't have much to go on other than portrayal on the news or television shows, I wasn't sure how much would be true, I just wanted to avoid any potential conflict at any cost. I couldn't without cause. The way she sized me up and gave me what I wanted and needed so quickly, I Rick Grimes CEO of GO Stop Insurance was at a lost for words. I went back into my office every time and sat down.

I quickly found Michonne's personality interesting. Michonne is nerdy, wears glasses on occasion, slightly clumsy, a big movie buff and quiet when she is pissed off. She works harder when she is upset with me. That is how I know she is pissed. I don't have my usual Starbucks coffee waiting for me on my desk, but I have every document and correspondence replied to without any errors. Not one typo. PowerPoint presentation emailed days in advance. Things prepared that I didn't know I even needed- _Done!_ My schedule for weeks in advance laid out in an intricate format and updated to my outlook calendar. She is _pissed_. If I ask her, she will not admit to it. I once told her I should keep her pissed more often and that remark I made didn't go over to well at the time. She almost quit.

"Michonne, what are you doing?"

"I am going to go work for the Governor. Maybe there I can get more respect."

"What the heck, Michonne? What happened now? Can we talk about it?" I was in a panic. We were alone outside my office.

"I got my brown box. I am packing my stuff and headed a county over." Michonne announced. She did not slow down piling stuff inside neatly and orderly inside of a box that look like she could take more than she originally had stored at her desk.

"What about...Who is going to do the project..."

"Find someone you can keep pissed off to work at the high level that I have been while Carol can just go around and fricking decorate for whatever season, holiday or-"

"You are driving me Crazy Michonne. What you are asking me to do is inappropriate."

"I want to keep my old job title. No one needs to know the details."

"If word gets out that I am paying you more than Carol who is the Executive Assistant and she is under the impression that you are still her Personal Assistant when technically you are my Executive Assistant but want to remain with the title Personal Assistant-"

"I _am_ your Personal Assistant." Michonne insisted.

"The way you say _Personal_ -" I shook my head.

"How am I saying it?" Michonne wore that innocent look. She stopped packing her box.

"I have no idea. You keep me confused when you do it. You're staring at me like that too doesn't help."

"You're staring at me, Mr. Grimes." Michonne insisted.

"You give me the impression that you want _more_ from me."

"You give me the impression that you are unsure if you want more to come from _ME."_

 _"_ This is what I don't get-I give you an honest response." Michonne knew exactly how to keep me exasperated.

"I gave you an honest reply."

"A reply that made absolutely no sense." I countered.

"You give me the impression that you are unsure if you want more to come from _ME_." Michonne repeated, enunciating every word.

"Why would I want more from you? More would mean I would have to pay way more and announce to everyone in the company that you are now running things. Baby steps Michonne, Baby steps." I was ready to walk away before we created a scene.

"I am not asking to run things, Mr. Grimes. I will run things as a team. You and I, if you are offering?" I had a sense then that Michonne was referring to something else and it wasn't business related but I was going to keep deflecting.

"I am not offering. This business arrangement is probably the craziest thing I even put my John Hancock on because I would like to keep you here. Permanent. I can't make you stay, Michonne and I am sorry about my comment of keeping you pissed to get 0 error work. If it wasn't for an error or two then I would have to actually have you run things."

"I have errors to keep you on your toes. I have errors to make sure you are paying attention. My work is generally 100% error free. Piss just guarantees it. As far as your John Hancock, I have a joke but you would find it confusing and Highly inappropriate." Michonne smiled.

It was when she smiled that I became the most confused when gazing upon her face because it caused me find it very hard to look away. I wanted to travel with my eyes and ears and follow every visible, discernible emotion that flitted across her lips and danced in her eyes. I wanted to know the Highly Inappropriate John Hancock joke but Carol made her appearance and only then could I find the strength to look a way.

Human Resources had sent her my way three years ago as a temp. I needed a Personal Assistant for my Executive Assistant. It took no time for her to out-perform the woman I had for fifteen years, Carol Pettier. Michonne corrects anyone and everyone that happened to be confused who's the EA and who's the PA.  
Michonne is not _my_ Personal Assistant not in the way that she implies that she _is_.

I have given up with the warnings, verbal, or even the threats of written documentation to go into her file based on her doing more than what is in her job scope. She had inadvertently created a hostile work environment with being efficient, energetic, a proactive team player, with her extremely high level of computer experience, excellent operational and managerial skills. Carol and I found ourselves unable to part with her.

Michonne stays into the late hours when all has gone home including me. She maintains the office when I am away and keeps things running smoothly including my personal life. I didn't realize how lost I would be without Michonne until a series of events that had nothing to do with work but how she is an integral part of my life.

* * *

"You're pissed off."

"I am not, Mr. Grimes."

"You are."

"I am not, Mr. Grimes."

"You were the designated driver last year." I countered.

I couldn't believe I gave in. I caved. I realized I have been doing it a lot lately. Usually, I would wait for Michonne to get over whatever issue she felt she had, but I didn't like Michonne feeling any negative way. It bothered me to the point that I began to reach out first to resolve our issues.

I stood looking over her shoulder, something I knew she hated with a passion, but Michonne pretended to be unbothered. She was playing Candy Crush, and during this time she needed a high degree of concentration because she was at level 282. I was still at level 60. I swore I was going to catch her. I also secretly like smelling her. She smelled exceptionally good at all times. Whatever the hell she wore wasn't to heavy or overpowering, it was her scent and I found myself missing it and wanting to inhale it more than was appropriate.

I was standing outside my office at Michonne's desk that was across from Carol's. Carol was gone for the day preparing for the office Christmas Party on the second floor of our Award Winning Building here at Go Stop Insurance.

"Okay."

"You don't want to be the designated driver this year?" I asked.

"You already volunteered my name."

"I can remove your name." I offered.

"You could," Michonne stated simply.

"You were the designated driver last year." I reminded her as if she had a faulty memory.

"Okay."

"You're pissed?"

"You have a meeting. If your feet don't get to moving to the elevator to conference room 42 on the third floor, you are going to be late Mr. Grimes." Michonne failed to advance to level 283.

She was pissed.

"Lori is bringing Carl, and Judith to the office, today." I tried to make conversation.

"Who told you this?" Michonne asked.

"You did."

"Why are you telling me something I told you?"

"I am only going to have my kids for a few hours while Lori and her new husband are in the area for the closing of their home. Lori promised to get the kids right after, and if not, she owes me big time. I will keep the meeting short as possible downstairs. I know you want to watch a movie tonight at my place. ' _Water like Chocolate'_. I found your reading glasses, so I am not going to be the designated reader of the subtitles. I will have the movie ready, and I'll replenish the Popcorn too."

"I know you will do what you can and within your means to do, Mr. Grimes. In the meantime remember this-your kids like me better anyway."

"Is that so?" I had a feeling she wasn't very pissed off. The idea of being around my kids seem to soften Michonne and sticking to a routine that we stumbled into by having Movie Night once a week kept us both in a position to wind down. If I had my kids during our Movie Night, we would need to find a substitute film. I was just about to ask Michonne her thoughts on which one when she turned around abruptly to inform me I had somewhere to be.

"You have a meeting. Go."


	2. Designated Again

_"We're all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love."_

 _― Robert Fulghum, True Love _

Walking onto the eighth floor I knew I would have to work extra hard. Not one black visible spot other than me on that whole damn floor. I made sure I was dressed very professional and my dreads were not a distraction. Everything about me was tasteful, and if anyone thought differently, they could kiss my ass.

There was something off about his greeting. He was surprised. I wouldn't say he was racist or prejudice, just ignorant. I had caught some of his sideway comments or silly questions and read him real quick. My cool calm demeanor had him realize immediately that I had just addressed his every thought or preconceived idea in such a way that he knew to never speak them out loud again because one, it was inappropriate, and he doesn't need more than me to know how ignorant he was, and two, I would be the best Personal Assistant he would ever have the pleasure to have in his whole damn life.

He was very attractive. He had some type of Macho thing going on. He never seemed relaxed. His lady friend would come to visit often enough for me to realize I didn't like her. She wasn't right for him other than she was Blonde, petite, and the perfect damsel in distress. She would come in to eat lunch in his office on Thursdays.

Mr. Grimes and I developed a relationship, friendship. More out of happenstance that involved his children and ex-wife Lorie who would come to drop the children off on Fridays. His long meetings meant his children spent their time around my desk harassing me to look at them. One glance was all that it took. I acknowledge their existence and they loved me ever since. I was more fun than Carol. We would play hide and seek. We had picnics on the floor of the office and I made sure homework was understood and completed. Carl was eight years old and Judith was almost six.

It took a few late meetings for him to reluctantly include me to join him and his kids for dinner. The kids begged and pleaded. It just went from there. He trusted my instinct. Things were weird, good weird, Good and weird.

"You have a problem with Jessie?"

"All I said was that you could do so much better, Mr. Grimes."

"Why can't you call me Rick?"

I had paused for a split second before responding, "The moment I start calling you by your first name will be every indication that lines have been blurred into oblivion between us. Are we blurring?" I waited for permission.

"It's when you talk like this I am the most confused." Mr. Grimes resorted to pretending.

"Your confusion is a choice." I touched the temple of his forehead with my flour covered finger. We were in his kitchen making chocolate chip cookies for Carl's class.

"But I call you by your first name."

"When you say my name it is in a professional way still. Well most of the time, unless there is someone in the room unfamiliar, you make sure you use Ms. Benton so not to have anyone confused with my Personal Assistant duties."

Mr. Grimes wanted to broach the topic on how I made Personal Assistant sound like two totally different job descriptions. I am not sure how he derived sexual stuff from it but if he wanted, I was down. He shook his head and I could tell he thought better of it because he changed the subject. A subject that could kill any imaginary mood.

"Jessie, thinks that you don't like her."

"I don't."

I watched him close up the second to last batch of cookies with the lid that I handed him.

"She apologized." He said as if I was suppose to care somehow.

I couldn't believe I got so emotional in trying to justify my stance. I let it all out in to the atmosphere.

"Judith was in your girlfriend's care when she almost drowned, because Jessie was too busy fucking worried about me taking up your time when we are actually talking about business...Ughhh." I began to lose all my composure as I continued on my rant. "Jessie was suppose to be on your boat with her two sons and your two kids. What I'm doing with you should be a secondary concern. Your kids should be first. Then Ron tosses Judith in the water and Carl goes in for his sister..."

"I'm sorry, Michonne." Mr. Grimes pulls me into his arms where I needed to be consoled.

"It was you and I out in that fucking water to get your kids out. _You_ and Me."

I did not want to relive that moment that Carl and Judith were caught in a riptide down in the Florida Keys where Mr. Grimes kept his small Yacht.

I didn't know he was going to break up with Jessie.

...

"They broke up." Sasha announces as she sat across from me in the employee cafeteria. "Actually, Andrea says she broke up with him. I don't really believe it but it may be true. I think Mr. Grimes may be breaking up with her. She says he's smoking. Andrea doesn't like smokers. She using it as an excuse. Does he smoke, Michonne?"

"Only when he's stressed out. The last time he smoked he broke up with Jessie." I responded to this unexpected news.

I was secretly surprised by this news. I finally had more detail about the woman my boss was involved with on an intimate level.

"Really? Is she the one he almost married?"

"Yeah. He's dating Andrea?"

"You are his Personal Assistant. You didn't know this?"

"It makes me nutty to know the intimate details of his life." I admitted.

"I can't see how you are able to do it Michonne. You have all this time with his kids. You have a relationship with his ex-wife. You have even gone on vacation a few times with the family. Has he offered you Nanny duties too?"

"I am not the Nanny. They both know that. I put it out there immediately. I am not the Nanny." I clarified my relationship with Mr. Grimes family.

"What'd you call it?"

"I am his Personal Assistant. I am Lori's friend. I am the kid's friend. I am an acquaintance of Lori's new husband, Shane. Does that make it clearer for you, Sasha?"

"Mr. Grimes didn't even ask Andrea, but he wanted you to go to the Bahamas with him and his family."

"I told him that my Personal Assistant duties would be in the way of any lady friend he had in mind of taking on the trip. If that was what he wanted to do, then leave me out. I am about business not coddling another female's inability to know the difference between business and pleasure."

"Andrea was sure he was going to ask her on that trip."

"It would be the day I quit." I declared.

"Does he know?"

"No."

"Does he feel the same way, you think?"

"Doubt it. Grimes is so aloof. We've just started doing more things together. He calls me. I call him. I will admit that mostly our calls are business-related, but after awhile I veer off subject and then it is much about a nice nothing for a while. We have Movie Night, every Friday night practically too."

"Movie night?"

"He falls asleep every time, so I have us watch subtitles. He can't fall asleep if he has to actively participate. We play Candy Crush. He says he isn't addicted."

"He hasn't hit on you at all Michonne?

"I wish to GOD he would. I would be under his desk right now working that Atari joystick."

"He's not that old, Michonne." Sasha cackles.

"I am so serious. I would wear him out." I pretend to have a joystick.

"Girl the way you working it doesn't seem like it would be pleasurable at all for any man."

"I'm just being silly."

"I know."

"We spend a lot of time together."

"Andrea wanted to move things along, and he was going too slow."

"How do you know this?"

"Because I am her Executive Assistant. He doesn't talk about her to you? Refer to her?"

"No. If he does, I think I just go blank, or I black out."

"You are crazy."

"Crazy about him. He is my Clark Kent." I sigh over my Tuna salad. "I am going to quit. I am tired of being in a one-sided love affair. My brain and my heart can only take so much." I was being melodramatic.

"He would never let you quit. He would promote you to Executive Assistant if he could nudge Carol along."

"I think Carol is secretly in love with him. I've thought about pushing her down the stairs during the fire drill, today."

"Carol is a strange Bird. I have been here two minutes longer than you have, and I can't seem to figure her out."

"He has me as the Designated Driver. Pisses me off."

"You were the designated Driver last year."

"What makes him think I don't plan to drink this year?"

"You don't drink."

"He made sure of that."

"You don't have to be the Designated Driver. You aren't forced."

"I just want to have fun. I don't want to be responsible for anyone. If he would have asked, Michonne, would you be my designated driver, I would have said yes."

"That would have been Highly Inappropriate."

"I know. I don't care."

"Three years?"

"The first year doesn't count. He was in a blonde haze. From what I gather he is in another blonde haze."

"He's the top shark, Michonne. You have to be careful. You don't want to shit where you eat if you can avoid it. Andrea has regrets. She wonders if it's going to hold her back from promotions, or cause her to be overlooked somehow."

"Are you feeding me what you want me to funnel to Mr. Grimes from Andrea?"

"What?"

"Are you telling Andrea what we talk about? What I've been saying to you, Sasha?" I became suddenly suspicious.

"No. I am friends with you, Michonne. Not many of us at this level even though we are a fancy name for secretary. You are my sister. Figuratively. We need to look out for each other."

"She has nothing to worry about. Just go on with her life, like shit ain't happened."

"What are you wearing to the party?"

"A sexier than last year dress."

"What color is your dress?"

"Red."

"Good. My sexier than last year dress is black.

"If he doesn't take notice I'm just going to sabotage his whole system that I created to keep him organized and on task with flashing nude poses of me in various positions."

"You are so crazy. Did I tell you how much I love you?" Sasha giggled.

"Ughhh. He's texting me. Wants to know where I am at."

"Who?"

"Mr. Grimes."

 **Mr**. **Grimes:** Where's my Starbucks Michonne?

 **Michonne** : I remembered what you told me. I am Carol's Personal Assistant. Carol did not have that on the order of the day nor has she ever had that on the agenda. I am to follow Carol's orders, remember?

 **Mr**. **Grimes** : Two years later, you decide to follow the order of things?

 **Michonne:** My job duties are finished for the day, and if you look at your calendar I am weeks ahead of schedule. Your forecast for the financials that you need for today's meeting has been emailed to you. Your kids will be here later today.

 **Mr**. **Grimes:** I advanced to level 60 on Candy Crush just now. Carl didn't help me either.

 **Mr**. **Grimes:** When are you coming back to your desk?


	3. Before We Enter This Office Party

_"Far from a normal-functioning relationship, but normal has never been our thing."_  
 _― Anna Todd, After We Fell_

* * *

That meeting lasted longer than anticipated. Video Conferencing with five other Hubs with Chief Directors and the sudden demise of a business strategy due to poor forecasting results for two of the Centers caused the conversations to go in an array of directions. The only shit that was sound was whatever Michonne had her hands on, touched, updated, imputed, factored. Most everything else appeared garbage in comparison when presented to me. I began to wonder if Michonne was due an official promotion. She could run circles around half the people in attendance. I made a mental note of who I was going to fire.

Hours later, I step into my home to find Michonne reading to Judith in the bedroom designated for my children when it was my turn to have them. It was a temporary arrangement for them to share a bedroom. Two twin beds. Carl was fast asleep. I ruffled his hair, and he mumbled, burying his head further into his pillow. Michonne has a key to my place in Georgia and the one I have in New York and California. I trust her.

"Shhhh, Daddy! Ms. Michonne is getting to the best part of the story."

"You had a day." Michonne said to me as I stood in the doorway. She motioned for Judith, "Give your Dad a kiss. He's had a rough day. See that face? That's the face of a man who didn't have an easy day today."

The words Michonne spoke had a warmth that startled me at first. She acknowledged me. Michonne recognized that the shit I had to do wasn't easy. The hours. The traveling. The long phone calls and meetings. I appreciated that.

I leaned down to receive a surprisingly loud strawberry on my cheek from Judith who giggled at my reaction when I grabbed her and repeated the act in the crook of her neck. I released her to return to her bed.

"Finish, the story Ms. Michonne. Finish." Judith commands. Michonne smiles at the surprised look on my face before she returns a look that is readable by Judith who instantly adds, "Please?"

I found a seat on the floor and listened to Michonne tell the story of Hansel and Gretel. Michonne has a nice voice. When I had awaken, I threw off the small blanket to find Carl and Judith were sleeping, and Michonne was gone.

I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to tell her that I appreciated her for taking the kids and making sure they weren't just waiting at the office during all that time. It was more evident that Michonne's piss level remained the same, and it had something to do with tomorrow nights Christmas Party. I still had her down as the designated driver, and she gave me no valid reason why she shouldn't be the one driving people home which included me, besides, she doesn't drink.  
...

I hate Office Christmas Parties. It was always a couple of weeks before Christmas and I wondered how it came about that I attended most of them. Expectation was set that I would be in attendance.

Open Bar was set up, and it was the only time including New Years that I would drink more than I should. Twice a year. I am not a belligerent drunk. I drink enough for my guard to come down, and for my filter removal to officially come off. Twice a year a person is more than likely to get the truth whether it is the good, the bad, or the ugly. I need Michonne close to my side to ensure I didn't get out of hand. I needed to be the first escorted out. I didn't want to get touchy feely with the wrong person or make a situation go from an innocent mole hill to a gigantic Mount Everest. Never happened before and I didn't want this Christmas party to be the first time.

Michonne looked phenomenal. Phenomenal. She worked the damn room, and she danced. I told her I wanted her to be by my side most of the night before we had come inside the party room. We were still in the lobby.

"Do you want me to be your date, Mr. Grimes?"

"Of course not. That would be inappropriate, Michonne." I chastised her.

"Inappropriate?" Michonne questioned.

"Yes. All I am asking is that you look out for me."

"You don't have any of your good ole pals here in this Insurance Firm to help you out?"

"I thought that I designated you,buddy, Pal. That someone I can count on."

I don't know why I had to keep Michonne in the friend zone. I had to always remind her. It was weird.

"How about you don't drink at all?" Michonne snapped back.

"If I were to ask you to be my date to this Christmas party, would my drinking be an issue?"

"Do you want me to be your date, Mr. Grimes?" Michonne hedged again.

"Why are you doing this Michonne?"

"Why am I doing what?"

"This weird thing that you do?" I motioned my hand between us.

"Ughh. Okay." Michonne was frustrated.

"Are you okay? Because I am not okay."

"I know you aren't okay," Michonne replied.

"How?"

"Because I am not fucking okay." I felt that Michonne wanted to take my tie and choke me. She didn't.

"Can we start this over again?" I knew Michonne was agitated and I did not want to proceed without a resolution to whatever that was between us since I revealed that she was one of five designated drivers.

"No. You expect me to babysit you at the Christmas Party where you have me as the Responsible Designated Driver while everyone who wants to can get shit faced can. You want me by your side which I don't mind, but it will come across possibly that we are together. So, you rather it looks that way than it is that way when it is that way?"

"Sometimes I get the distinct impression that you want something more from me." I eyed Michonne.

"Well, I have certainly earned it. Don't you think?"

"What are you talking about? I can't get rid of Carol. I have had the pay codes changed for you. What in the hell more you want, Michonne?"

"Consideration." Michonne straightened my tie in the almost deserted Lobby of Go Stop Insurance not counting the security guards that were on duty. The party was on the second floor, and we were well over an hour late. I had to beg Michonne to change her mind to come to the Christmas Party by apologizing and promising never to appoint her designated driver without her expressed permission. She still had the residual of being pissed.

"When have I not considered you, Michonne? I didn't invite Andrea down to the Bahamas, and it cost me my relationship with her. I have no idea why you think I-wait, why are you smiling?"

I was suddenly confused by Michonne's sudden change in demeanor by watching her beautiful smile that broke across her lips. I was dazed.

"Your tie is perfect right now." I had confirmed from my very own mouth that there was no Andrea in the picture and Michonne was instantly giddy. At least one of us was going to have a great time at this years' Christmas Party.


	4. Are We Flirting or Dancing

_"Dancing is a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire."_  
 _―_ _George Bernard Shaw_

* * *

"I'm surprised after our heated discussion that you would want me over to help you bake cookies again." I stated while mixing the dough with his Kitchen Aid Blender.

"I'm surprised that it didn't take much convincing." He poured in the chocolate chips slowly.

"The Cookies are for Carl's class, and if you hadn't put him on the phone, I promise you I wouldn't be here. I would ask you to call Jessie to bake cookies. She can bake can't she?"

"You won't let up?" He crumpled the empty chocolate chip package in his hands.

He stood back from the counter and stepped closer to me. Mr. Grimes was clearly in my personal space and I didn't mind one bit. I thought for a second, based on his proximity I would love for him to kiss me or I just kiss him but he would probably have a stroke.

"You smell like cigarettes. You smoke now?" I deflected off the topic of Jessie.

"I smoke when I am about to break up with someone or have broken up." Mr. Grimes revealed to me.

"You smoke when you-"

"I broke up with Jessie. We are no longer together. I did it today."

"Oh." I went back to mixing the dough.

...

It was the same smell when I was trying to adjust his tie in the GO Stop lobby where the Christmas party was in full swing on the second floor. He had been smoking.

No matter where I was in the party, I found Mr. Grimes watching me. Didn't matter who was trying to engage him in conversation I would find his eyes searching for me, keeping tabs on my whereabouts. Well, I like to dance. I didn't care if there were 20 people or no one on the dance floor, I was going to dance if my song came on and my song playing. Soon the dance area was crowded around me.

 _Where did you come from lady_  
 _And ooh won't you take me there_  
 _Right away won't you baby_  
 _Tendoroni you've got to be_  
 _Spark my nature_  
 _Sugar fly with me_  
 _Don't you know now_  
 _Is the perfect time_  
 _We can make it right_  
 _Hit the city lights_  
 _Then tonight ease the lovin' pain_  
 _Let me take you to the max_

 _I want to love you (P-Y-T)_  
 _Pretty young thing_  
 _You need some lovin' (T-L-C)_  
 _Tender lovin' care_  
 _And I'll take you there_  
 _I want to love you (P-Y-T)_  
 _Pretty young thing_  
 _You need some lovin' (T-L-C)_  
 _Tender lovin' care_  
 _And I'll take you there_

 _Nothin' can stop this burnin'_  
 _Desire to be with you_  
 _Gotta get to you baby_  
 _Won't you come, it's emergency_  
 _Cool my fire yearnin'_  
 _Honey, come set me free_  
 _Don't you know now is the perfect time_  
 _We can dim the lights_  
 _Just to make it right_  
 _In the night_  
 _Hit the lovin' spot_  
 _I'll give you all I got_

 _Michael Jackson_

I spent several months adjusting to the fact, or coming to _terms_ with the fact that I wasn't his type. I was living in the friend zone. I began to accept my fate. My fantasies were just that-fantasies. I was secretly going out with Tyrese from the mailroom. I was determined to get my groove back. Tyrese hadn't made it past a kiss on the cheek, but I was going to relax a bit more, and let him make his move. I wasn't going to dodge him when he did try to lean in to smooch.

I had also realized, I have spent a lot of time focused on Mr. Grimes and his children that I may have missed out on opportunities to cultivate relationships of my own that did not hinge on him and his family. I mean he had girlfriends (hookups) and a fiancee since I have known him. Time to stop wasting time.

I was aware that I was taking advantage of his weakened state when I turned and found him on the dance floor ready to grab my hand.

"You dance?" I asked surprised.

"You want too?" He asked me.

"I didn't know you could," I stated.

"Liquid courage." Mr. Grimes revealed.

I watched him do a nice, simple two-step before I joined in and followed his lead. Soon the upbeat music changed to a slower more seductive tune, and it did not discourage him as I had anticipated. I felt myself go back to square one. I wanted to be his, and every scenario such as this played in my mind. I was setting the stage.

Before I knew it words were leaving my lips into his ear, "We are flirting."

"We are dancing, Michonne." Mr. Grimes responded quietly.

"To admit-"

"Would be a change in our dynamics. I need you in my office. I need you on my team. I need you..." He tapered off. He was vulnerable and for a moment it was right there in his blue eyes staring into my brown ones.

"You know I am with you in whatever arrangement." I wanted to reassure him.

There was no way that he didn't feel the electricity between us. He brushed his cheek against mine or maybe I was the one to touch mine against his. He held my hand, and his other was on my waist before it moved to the small of my back. I made sure he felt me as I danced as close as possible to him. He didn't try to give us space that would have provided the right appearance of being more appropriate. We were both being inappropriate.

"You know people are going to talk after this." I spoke softly into his ear.

"The year I danced." He declared lightly, amused.

"You may have a line start-up." I had a sense he was still smiling.

"I'm not dancing with anyone else after this." His tone indicated his mind was made up.

"You know you will have to make it seem that I am not special, Mr. Grimes." I informed him.

"What I am trying to do is remove any residual pissivity that you may have with being the designated driver. By the way I do have _other_ motives to why I am dancing with you and only you tonight."

"Oh, darn I thought we were about to take this thing that has been happening between us to the forever haze zone. Trying to stay all close to me had me thinking lines were going to blur."

"I've been close to you _before_ , Michonne."

"And?"

"It will soon be awkward like after this dance."

"You just don't get me." I couldn't hide the disappointment in my voice.

"I get you. You have been trying to give yourself to me for some time now."

"Just imagine if I'd made it known without question."

"It's what you have been doing for some time, lady."

"You knew this and-"

"I told you it was inappropriate."

"Then. How about now?"

"That's what I don't get about you, Michonne."

"Your lower half isn't confused."

"That's because you are very close to me at this point."

"Stop talking. I like to think you are sober and you just came to your senses about me, not some drunken epiphany."

"I am slightly drunk, and before we came to the party, I told you I liked your dress."

"You like my dress or me in the dress?"

"I like your dress, Michonne. _You_ are breathtaking tonight. I can't remember precisely a time where you haven't looked well put together."

"It's my sexier than last year dress."

"Your last year dress was sexy; I must admit this is sexier on you."

"You are an unusual drunkard."

"I am not fully drunk. I will let you get away with the name calling for tonight because I plan to live up to your expectations."

"I'm going to find me a man, Mr. Grimes."

"What am I?"

"I am going to find someone." I declared.

"Okay."

"Okay? I wasn't looking for you to agree. I was making a statement. Declaring that once I take you home, I am going to find a life."

"What's going on, now?" He was exasperated with me again.

"Proclaiming from my lips to your ear is what I am doing."

"You are finding ways to sober me. I don't want to be at a Christmas Party with people I don't really know, don't really care to know, when I could be doing something much more amusing."

"Like what?"

"Playing Candy Crush. I am at level 73."

The music changed to a more rhythmic tune. We were certainly going to be the talk of the office. Many stopped dancing and became spectators. Liquid courage he says. Mr. Grimes had quite a bit of rhythm and I was dying to know how it translated into the bedroom. I broke a way from him and began to move my hips and body and he showed everyone including me that he wasn't a shabby dancer at all. Playing House:

 _This is getting tough, sitting here waiting for you,_  
 _And I think you've had enough, cause I know it's hard,_  
 _This is going on, going on for way too long,_  
 _I think you wanna know, I just can't wait_

 _Ooh, I'm trying to find you,_  
 _Ooh, I'm trying to reach you girl_  
 _I don't even know, just what I want_

 _Ooh, I'm trying to find you,_  
 _Ooh, I'm trying to reach you girl_  
 _I don't even know, just what I want_

 _Maybe we're just playing house,_  
 _Just cause it feels good_  
 _Baby we're just playing house,_  
 _Just cause it feels good_

 _That don't make it good for anybody,_  
 _Don't wanna be in love just with anybody,_  
 _I'm tired being just Mr. Anybody,_  
 _So baby come with me, let's just make a body_  
 _Between us, I need you to see me,_  
 _Girl been waiting, please tell me you need it_  
 _When you go I will always be there,_

 _Ooh, I'm trying to find you,_  
 _Ooh, I'm trying to reach you girl_  
 _I don't even know, just what I want_

 _Ooh, I'm trying to find you,_  
 _Ooh, I'm trying to reach you girl_  
 _I don't even know, just what I want_

 _Maybe we're just playing house,_  
 _Just cause it feels good_  
 _Just cause it feels good_  
 _Just cause it feels good_

 _Just cause it feels good..._  
 _Just cause it feels good..._

 _Active Child_


	5. Did We Just Take It There?

_"A guy and a girl can be just friends, but at one point or another, they will fall for each other...Maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late, or maybe forever"_  
 _― Dave Matthews Band _

* * *

I was drunk. Not too drunk to not know that look. It was clear as day and written all over Michonne's face. I had my arm around her shoulder and hers around my waist. She walked me inside my home.

"What are you doing Michonne?" I asked her once we were inside. I was trying to close the door, but her ass was blocking the handle, and I had to back her into the door for it to close shut.

"You're drunk."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you are standing way too close to your boss. I can't get this confused now, Michonne."

"You are drunk, Mr. Grimes. You walked into me. My back is against the door."

"I am, but I have this strange feeling that you are attracted to me. It's very strange that you are? How long have you been feeling this way Michonne?"

"From the moment you realized you needed me. The moment you respected my decisions and trusted me. I'm glad that you didn't want anyone else for the role of your PA. I have been a good Assistant haven't I, Mr. Grimes?"

"Mr. Grimes." I sighed after saying my own surname. "I want you to call me by my first name, Michonne. Let me hear it. Let me hear you say my name."

"Rick."

"You have been an excellent assistant in the office, Michonne. In my home where you are now, I am not sure what your capabilities are. I feel that I am dangerously close to finding out."

"I can assist you in many ways, Rick. In the office and outside the office."

I began to wonder if I had inadvertently given Michonne blurring permission.

"Michonne."

I felt myself sobering slightly. The degree in which my body temperature increased burned a bit more alcohol out of my blood stream and replaced it with a steady tap of desire and every word spoke was kindling to the slow burning fire deep in my gut.

"Yes?"

"What are we about to do?" I was enjoying the touch of her skin on the side of my face, the same as I did when dancing earlier that night, finding that I craved the warmth and smoothness brushing my jaw against her cheek at that moment.

"Are you unsure?" Michonne sensed my hesitation.

"I am very unsure of this," I whispered in her ear.

"I want this so bad," Michonne admitted and it made me want to give in, to give to her what would make her the most happiest.

"How much?" I asked, moving my face to see her eyes only to find my lip hovering only inches above hers.

"Please." From Michonne, it was sexy to hear her beg.

"I need to be sober," I suggested an alternative. I was surprised by Michonnes willingness to proceed, crossing boundaries into uncharted territory.

"Okay."

"I don't want you to be pissed with me Michonne." I cautioned.

"I won't. I'm not."

"I am going to step away from you now, and we will discuss this in the morning. I will call you, and we can meet up and talk about it. If, I don't feel like shit that is. I will call-"

Michonne grabbed the back of my head and forced my head down to her lips, and she kissed me, and I kissed her back without hesitation. I kissed her as passionately and as hungrily as she kissed me. My hands immediately cupped her breast through the fabric of her dress, and we began to tumble down the rabbit hole. I remember that but not much else.

I awoke to the sounds of my shower running and a voice singing a tune repeatedly, the theme song to Batman.

"Da da da da Batman Batman Batman Da Da Da da do do da da Batman Batman..."

"What the hell?" I lifted the sheet to find I was butt ass naked.

Michonne peeked into the bedroom wrapped in a towel. Her dreads piled on top of her head.

"Glad you are awake Captain America, I have two aspirins right there on the nightstand for you and a glass of water. You will feel less like shit if you toss it back now."

"Thanks, Michonne."

"Do you have anything against, spearmint toothpaste? I was just wondering because I see you have a preference and I have a preference."

"Toothpaste is toothpaste."

"It is not, but I am glad you feel that way. I will stock us up with spearmint. I love spearmint. You have a nice big shower with jets. I'm excited. You can join me if you are up to it." She winked.

"I've been in my shower before, Michonne."

"Offer still stands." I watched her let the towel just drop. What channel of the Twilight Zone did I just find myself watching? What alternate universe did I accidentally step in? My relationship with Michonne was building on so many levels of inappropriateness, and I began to wonder for a moment where was the rest of the pills so I could swallow the whole damn bottle. This was career suicide, and my dick didn't care. It wanted another taste of what my brain didn't fully remember as I watched the most beautiful black ass strut out of view and into the shower.

I sat up in bed and tossed back the two pills with a mouth full of water. The water helped relieve the dryness in my throat.

I scrolled through my phone for the appropriate legal counsel to call later to help me un-fuck up my life since I just shitted again where I ate. First, it was Andrea and now with Michonne. Fuck. I grabbed a pair of Pajamas out of the drawer tossing the top on the bed deciding only on the bottoms. I slid them on before going into my bathroom, for modesty purposes. I had to change the direction of events. Michonne was humming something, less headache producing by the time I made my entry.

I had to take a piss. I needed to freshen up. I tried to keep my eyes trained away from Michonne in the shower. I went straight into my water closet. I finished, flushed, washed my hands and began brushing my teeth, failing at keeping my eyes diverted from my exorbitantly large shower where Michonne's silhouette was perfectly outlined.

My penis was still tenting my pajama bottoms. I kept getting flashbacks of being tongued by Michonne and tonguing her back. Her bottom lip in between my teeth. Her dark skin in comparison with my own. She's amazingly soft, and she has great tits. Dark nipples that got strangely hard running my palms over them. The sensation it produced when my tongue moved over them. Michonne liked her tits licked and very lightly sucked. She was very vocal about it. I remembered that as I rinsed my mouth and splashing more water on my face. Cold water. The cold water on my face did nothing to distract my protruding member down below my waist.

My feet had a mind of their own. My hands discarded the bottoms quickly from my body. I think they too were listening to my dick because I realized my Jets were unbelievable the way they hit Michonne's body in all the right places. The look she gave me when she realized I was stepping inside with her. I was hard as a rock and my dick and I made a choice to join her.


	6. Yes, I Took It There

_"To be fearlessly vulnerable with someone…One of the deepest, most desirable paradoxes of love."_  
 _― Carlos Wallace, The Other 99 T.Y.M.E.S: Train Your Mind to Enjoy Serenity _

* * *

"Grimes getting Grimy!"

He was right. After I had moved my hips and swayed back to him on the dance floor, it was officially awkward with the applause and whistles.

"Grimes getting Grimy!"

A few shouts came from out of the crowd. We looked every part of being together. We danced the hell out of that song. We could not lie about our Vibe or our mutual attraction to each other that was visible to others who were in attendance at the office Christmas Party. The whispers went rampant, _'have they hooked up because they danced like they have or probably will after tonight'_.

Mr. Grimes, tossed back a few more drinks before he was ready to call it a night. I was by his side with his keys in hand. It dawned on me then, I was _His_ designated driver. I rode with him to the party. I didn't come in my own vehicle. I was positive he was not allowing me to taxi around 6, 7, and 8th floor too drunk to drive employees using his Bentley.

"What's wrong with you?"

I pulled up to the stop light. Grimes was buckled in on the passenger side with his seat reclined.

"I don't appreciate men leering at you."

"Leering? Who?" I wanted to know who were the culprits and what was said to cause Mr. Grimes so much displeasure.

"All of them. I should fire them all. Completely inappropriate." Mr. Grimes spoke pointedly.

"This was afterhours." I continued to drive.

"I don't give a damn. They don't know you like I know you. You aren't the type to disrespect like that."

"I haven't been disrespected in a long time. I am long overdue for some raunchy flirtatious behavior."

"What?"

"You heard me. Sexy talk. Who said what?"

"Johnson likes your ass. The way it moves."

"What else?"

"Worthington wants to make you his Nubian Queen."

"What else?"

"Stinely says you have lips like a Goddess."

"Where did this conversation take place?" I made a right and then a left where I soon approached his property and stopped at the gate to punch in the security code for it to open.

"In the men's room-."

"Harmless."

"Two weeks ago I had to have words with someone to stop. It's been happening longer than that but for some reason it makes me angry. Angrier than in the beginning. I almost clocked someone tonight but he backed off."

"You are drunk."

"I am."

"I am going to help you into the house and I am going to call me an Uber-"

"You don't have to do that Michonne. You can stay at my place. Make sure I make it inside and not amble down the neighborhood picking fights with stray tomcats."

"Why must I babysit you?"

"Because you are my friend and I like when you care about me. I like when your Personal Assisting means a touch more."

Here I stood up against the door where he had me pressed into him. I kissed him. I made the first move. I took the risk. The loudest voice in my head was adamant that I take the opportunity presented and be prepared for the shit storm if he did not kiss me back. He kissed me back. He kissed me without any hesitation. He was just as starved as I, gasping for breath but not getting enough as we jammed our open mouths together and tongued the hell out of each other.

The taste of alcohol didn't even bother me. It was sexy, tasty, warm, wet, delicious, intoxicating and combined with the hint of the cigarette he had smoked much earlier, perfect aphrodisiac.

I couldn't hold back my whimper. His touch tingled and his kisses burned. This is what I wanted from him for a long time. An introductory crash course in discovering every inch of Mr. Grimes body. I was ready.

It was a full silent onslaught of senses. He didn't say anything by way of words. His breathing increased and sometimes it became shallow. His hands. His touch were purposeful, his kisses were deep, his hips found a rhythm that had me moaning and eager to meet his every thrust with my own rotational jerk that caused him to slowly withdraw to work his way back with the same gusto as before. We were naked on his bed and he was on top.

I am not sure if there was any particular technique or the reality that this was happening that I experienced my very first orgasm with a man, ever. I could not contain my surprise, my excitement, my vocal scream was induced by my sensory overload and it was incredible. I soon realized he soon did too, quietly if not for a gasp.

The tip of my index finger follows the places along the bridge of his nose to his tip. I can feel the growth or stubble coming in on his upper lip. He is handsome while he sleeps, just like he is when he dozes off on the couch during our movie night.

This was very different. Having full access to his body unlike on the couch when he would suddenly awake and ask if I was touching him. Most times I would lie, and other times I would use it as an excuse to wake him.

...

"Grimes, I have an action movie." Michonne found her hand held firmly in place on his thigh.

"What are you doing, Michonne?"

"Why are you asleep?"

"I'm not asleep."

"Your eyes are closed."

"If your eyes were closed and you found my hand on your leg-"

"I would be surprised."

"Bullshit. You would slap me into the next room." Rick eyed Michonne.

"Are we talking about _you_ with _Your_ hand on my leg?" Michonne needed to be sure of who was in the scenario.

"I am talking about you with your hand going where, Michonne?" Rick questioned Michonne's intentions.

"You stopped me. We will never know." Michonne realized that Rick's hand was still firmly placed on top of hers. He still had not removed her hand from his thigh. She glanced from his hand back to his intense blue eyes.

"If I had not?" He asked.

"So you weren't sleeping?" Michonne began to wonder if this was a game where Mr. Grimes pretends he is asleep so she could or would touch him.

"What's going on, Michonne?" Mr. Grimes persisted.

"I wouldn't slap you." Michonne admitted softly. She didn't look away. She was hoping he garnered her meaning.

"My kids are here."

Michonne could easily read uncertainty on his face when her meaning sunk and settled into his brain.

"I know your kids are here, Grimes." Michonne sighed. She wondered if his concern was how to explain the development of a relationship with his Personal Assistant moving from work related to romantic.

He threw popcorn at her and turned the volume up on the television. He did not fall back asleep. Michonne flicked some of her drink in his face from her fingers and Rick continued to ignore the pink elephant reflected by the hand he continued to hold on his lap for the rest of the movie, Matrix. Rick was now fully awake.

...

Michonne's hand traveled under the sheet moving below his belly button acquainting herself with his more coarse hair compared to the fine silky curls on top of his head that were still sticking to his forehead. He was lying on his back. His breathing indicated he was asleep. He stirred as soon as Michonne's fingers made their way to his groin area to the base of his penis.

She had her first orgasm. She wanted another, and she was impatient. If he wasn't going to wake up, she was prepared to rub one out if she had to take his hand and put his fingers in position on her hypersensitive nether regions.

Michonne smiled when she realized she was going to get a repeat when his hand quickly covered her hand that was seeking, and he pulled her to get on top of him.

He had great upper arm strength as he kept Michonne hovered above him. Michonne picked up quickly that he wanted her to slow it down, less aggression. Everything was nonverbal. She knew what she was doing was good to him based on his facial expression, whether he was biting his lip, expelling air, or gripping her ass. He was very much into it even if he claimed to not remember shit.


	7. I Need to Break It Off But I Black Out

_"I know this simple fact to be true, for I myself have abandoned people who did not want me to go, and I myself have been abandoned by those whom I begged to stay."_  
 _― Elizabeth Gilbert _

* * *

"I was wondering Rick?"

"What were you wondering, Michonne?"

I was glad for the distraction from my thoughts. We just had amazing sex for the last three hours since I joined Michonne in the shower. We were back in my bed.

"How fabulous it would be to have room service right about now."

"We are not in a hotel," I informed her. She had her face resting on my chest. Her limbs interlocked with mine.

"Your room reminds me of the fancy Waldorf."

"This room took a lot of planning."

"I'm not criticizing, Rick."

My name took on a whole new meaning coming from Michonne. I began to understand why she refrained from calling me by my first name, it was very intimate the warmth I felt from her tone.

"I know you Michonne. You like things that have a relaxed feel to it. Hey, Mr. Grimes, this place is better, it will be more relaxing. .." I mimicked her way of speaking.

"Was I wrong when we were in Europe?" She eased up to look at me.

"No. You weren't." I admitted.

"Was I wrong in the Bahamas?"

"No," I admitted again.

"Your point?"

"I'm not sure." I chuckled. I had flashback of our first few months in the office of getting to know each other. She dispelled every crazy idea I had about her and women from a certain racial background. It's still a topic we don't discuss because she says to keep my ignorance as much as a secret as humanly possible.

"I made my point. Now back to the original conversation. I'm hungry. "

"You want room service?" I questioned.

"Don't you hear my stomach?" She asked me.

"Yes." It was loud and mine wasn't any more silent than hers.

"It's not going to stop." Michonne informed.

"What are you hungry for?" I asked.

"If you had a chef I would ask for eggs and toast, possibly some coffee."

"What do you want me to do about it? You are my Personal Assistant. I shouldn't have to tell you that you will need to put out feelers for a Chef. Get some resumes. Ask for some referrals. Taste some of the cooking. Figure out how much are they worth paying to have, how often. And based on my schedule is it even worth bothering when I could quickly scramble some eggs while you put some toast in the toaster?"

"I love teamwork! Come on Rick!"

My heart was in my throat. I just had one of the best lay of my life bound out of bed like an excited kid. She didn't put her clothes back on. Instead, she snatched my pajama top and had it over her head in seconds. She waited for me, and I didn't want to move. I wanted to just stare at her. I wanted a minute to figure this shit out now that my head between my legs was numb and the brain between my ears was in overdrive.

"Rick if I weren't hungry, I would think you wanted more of this good stuff."

The answer in my head that didn't leave my lips was a no. I didn't want any more of that good stuff. I wanted Michonne to get her clothes on and leave. I needed space. I needed time away from Michonne and to think about what just happened to our- _relationship_. I needed a damn cigarette.

I needed time to think.

Why did it happen?

Why did I allow it to happen from the shower to the bed was beyond all comprehension. I was fucking sober, completely lucid and with her standing there my dick was getting it's sensation back. I wanted to keep her in my arms and just drown in everything Michonne.

It took very little time to scramble up some eggs, while Michonne prepared the toast with butter and jelly. We sat out on the Lanai with our breakfast and orange juice. The mid-morning was nice, and Michonne kept my mind off the thoughts I wanted to think about yet again.

"You have a cute butt."

"What?"

"I've always admired it but actually to see and touch it, I am here to confirm, it is cute."

"So you've been admiring my Ass, Michonne?"

"Yep."

"Anything else?"

"You are very lean all over."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Sexy."

"Yeah?" I was surprised by this revelation. Michonne thought I was sexy.

"Yep."

"You have more that you are dying to tell me." I knew that look on Michonne's face. She had more she wanted to share.

"I had my first orgasm."

"What?"

"With you."

"Yeah?" I was surprised by this revelation as well. I was Michonne's first.

"Usually I fake it, or it doesn't matter. I didn't have to fake it with you."

"Really?"

"Don't let it go to your head. I'm quite sure it was a fluke."

"A fluke?" She was dismissing what we just did less than an hour ago as a fluke?

"Pent-up desire. I wanted you for over two years steady."

"We did it, how many times last night?" I had absolutely no real memory.

"Twice." Michonne informed. "You were there Rick. You are asking me like you have no memory of last night. You wanted to do it the second time. You were pretending to be asleep like you always do on the couch. You remember right?"

"And you came then?" I asked. I was going to avoid the question from Michonne. I remember kissing, her nipples and her vocal abilities. I was glossing over the detail and my instincts told me she caught it.

Michonne nodded.

"Each time?"

Michonne nodded again.

"This morning we did it three times and-"

"I would say two times, the act I did doesn't count, Rick."

"Four times and you calling it a fluke?" I could not understand her logic. Business logic she is sound. This whatever the hell we were doing, not so sound.

"Possible."

Michonne giggled watching me undo the drawstring to my pajama bottoms where my erection became visible, moving my chair from the table to give her full viewing pleasure.

"You have me at full attention, Michonne because I don't believe in flukes. This," I motioned to my dick, "Is ready to prove to you that the odds are very good or in it's favor to duplicate another earth shattering experience for you. So please rise from your chair and come and throw a leg over my lap and ease down nice and slow and tongue me."

...

"So you are finally banging your Personal Assistant?"

"Lori. She is not my Personal Assistant. She is Carol's Personal Assistant."

"Does Michonne know that?" Lori laughed.

"It's the oddest thing. A concept that I am not sure if she grasps or not. Michonne does laps around Carol. I had the pay codes changed a year and a half ago.

"What do you want to do?"

"What should I do?"

"I like her Rick. The kids adore her."

"I am not asking you on a personal level Lori. I am asking on a Legal level."

"Shane thought you two may have already been intimate. I told him, I didn't think so. You are different with a person that you are intimate with. I didn't see a change in you to indicate anything more than a working relationship that forged into an odd personal relationship. She's not your usual type for one."

"No, she is not." Rick agreed.

"She's fun for one. She's not indecisive. Very smart. Organized. Well rounded. Very-"

"You are describing her characteristics as if other women I had an interest in didn't have those same qualities."

"Not packaged in one woman. Michonne even has me beat, Rick and I am not ashamed to admit it."

"This is not a contest."

"You never bought me a comic book." Lori challenged.

"You never asked for a comic book, Lori. You don't read them nor do you collect them."

"Michonne never asked either. You knew it was something missing from her Superman collection. Since when do you pay attention?"

"Michonne collects Action Comics. She wanted the edition with the introduction of Supergirl and the edition with Brainiac. I found it. I bought it. I gave it to her."

"The price you paid for two comic books was over thirty grand. If she hadn't squealed it no one in the room would have been any the wiser." Lori laughed.

"It was for Christmas. You see, Michonne talks a lot, and I learned to be a good listener. There are only two reasons she doesn't talk, and that is if she is concentrating or she is pissed off. Well, there is a third, sleeping. I am privy to all that is on her mind when we are together."

"You two are together often. She's here with us on Christmas." Lori looked from her kitchen into the living room where Michonne was laughing with the kids and Shane. Rick's parents were in attendance and began conversing with Michonne who laughed heartily at whatever story Senior Grimes had just told.

"About that-" Rick was ready to apologize.

"I have no problem with whatever type of relationship you decide on with Michonne, Rick. I have no problem with her being with us on Christmas Day. It speaks volumes, and I am wondering if your brain is catching up to that fact."

"Michonne keeps me sane. We went Christmas shopping. Physically enduring last minute crowds. No online ordering. We have even set up a small tree at my place. She is very detailed about the logic behind how to decorate a tree. The gift we got for the kids she wanted to see the kids expression. I wanted her to see and be a part of it."

"You are blushing."

"I'm getting frustrated by these turn of events. Snowballing into one big clusterfuck. Avalanche potential."

"Why do you think that is, Rick?"

"I fall into this thing with Michonne, and at first I was sure it was not what I wanted."

"Well, what do you want?"

"I want her in charge of Operations and Finance. I want to promote her. I want to offer her the position in San Diego. I have everything set to happen. Ready. I just haven't offered it yet, and Now if anyone gets wind of this, I can be accused of favoritism or sexual harassment or holding Michonne back from her potential by not offering this opportunity."

"You need to speak to her privately about the option. Put it out there. Michonne is no dummy."

"So-"

"She might turn it down. Then what?"

"I haven't considered it."

"You quickly offer it to Andrea and be done with it." Lori suggested.

"Yeah, I could do that." Rick noted the option.

"But if Michonne accepts, do you plan to move to San Diego? And what about Carl and Judith?" Lori questioned.

"I'm willing to break things off with Michonne. I'm here for my kids. My kids are first. Plus, no one under any circumstances can ever know that there was something between Michonne if she does accept."

"Then you failed already, Rick. Do you want a relationship with Michonne? Meaning stepping down from Go Stop Insurance if necessary?"

"Go Stop is my life."

"Carl and Judith is too. Do you have room for Michonne to play a bigger role than your company and your children?"

"Michonne doesn't stop talking long enough for me to think straight."

"Don't blame this on Michonne."

"I fall into this thing with her. My mind goes blank. I black out. I am all prepared to stop everything but then she smiles or makes a suggestion or just says my name and next thing I know we are walking up and down a health food aisle together because she insist that we should both go on a green smoothie diet."

"Now you are silly. You like her. You like her a lot."

"Is it obvious?"

"You got that silly grin. You avoid that, no one would be any the wiser, Rick."


	8. Halloween or Valentines Day?

_"I was falling. Falling through time and space and stars and sky and everything in between. I fell for days and weeks and what felt like lifetime across lifetimes. I fell until I forgot I was falling."_  
 _― Jess Rothenberg, __The Catastrophic History of You and Me _

* * *

"I will break your fingers." Michonne threatened without looking up. Mr. Grimes was just about to take a few more pieces of his favorite candy from her candy dish that was on her desk without express permission. He did.

"What?" Mr. Grimes questioned.

"Denise called and told me you missed your appointment. I rescheduled it for you."

"Dentist appointment again, Michonne?"

"What do you mean again, Mr. Grimes? Every six months. You must go."

"I don't have a toothache."

"You will if you keep eating my candy and not ensuring proper dental hygiene. You could have all kinds of cavities. Why would you wait for a toothache?"

"I went six months ago because you-"

"Cleanings every six months. It is on your schedule. I went earlier today for my own. You are going to stop everything you are doing and go before you are late. I even had pop-up reminders, Mister."

"Denise makes me uncomfortable." Mr. Grimes admitted. "One minute I think she is utterly nervous about, I have no idea what which makes me nervous and then the things she says. She makes me uncomfortable."

"Nervous energy. I need to understand, Mr. Grimes your grounds to discharge this Dentist which is located just around the corner for our convenience, is a valid one."

"She makes these comments...Suggestions about her and me possibly-"

"Possibly what? She's a lesbian."

"Why did you select a female dentist for me?"

"You have something against females, Rick or Lesbians that are willing to reconsider mitt for the bat?"

"I'm not trying to start any sexist thing with you Michonne, but I don't like to be hit on every time I see her. I don't like suggestive remarks."

"I never knew that about you, Rick. I've been doing it for how long?"

"You don't count, Michonne. You have an unusual way about you but that Denise makes me bristle."

"Bristle, huh? I make you, what?"

"What are you doing, Michonne?"

"Getting clarification. Wondering if we are going to be Blurring anytime soon."

"Blurring?"

"Crossing the line. Going into dangerously, Highly Inappropriate territory."

"You know with that remark I could fi-"

"Find your way to the dentist. What you said was just as inappropriate. Even if you want to pretend that you haven't a clue to what makes me different, Mr. Grimes."

...

"What are you thinking about there, Tiger?"

Rick was startled from his thoughts when Michonne came up from behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. It was December 30th and the office building was practically a ghost town. Especially his level. He had only come back to grab his items he had forgotten and because Michonne had also forgotten a few things from her desk that she need to retrieve.

"Michonne."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Mr. Grimes, I forgot where I was for a second."

"I am not Mr. Grimes at this stage of the game with no witnesses, and Tiger isn't disagreeable if we are, you know..." Rick swallowed.

"No, I don't know..." Michonne teased.

"You really like to talk, like that?" Rick mused.

"I am not against it. I understand if it is virgin territory for you, though? Weird with you being a man and not wanting to talk dirty, Rick."

"Can we take it slow?" Rick tried to broach the subject. He hadn't touched a cigarette. He was going cold turkey with Michonne. If he was going to break it off this was the best opportunity. Slow things down to an eventual halt. The usual sensation of blacking out was creeping over him.

"Slow?"

"Baby steps."

"What are we talking about here?" Michonne needed clarification.

"New Year's Eve." Rick let his words just hang there.

"Slow?" Michonne tried to gauge what did pace have to do with her invitation regarding New Year's Eve to meet her family.

"Meeting _your_ Family." Rick narrowed his concern.

"Meeting them means too fast?" Michonne eyed Rick by coming from around back of him to stand face to face.

"New Year's Eve?" Rick questioned if this was the time to meet her parents, even though she had met his on Christmas. That meeting wasn't planned.

"Down in Miami. Big outdoor event." Michonne clarified trying to get him to see that it wasn't a small intimate setting.

"I'm thinking that I would just hang out with my family here and that you go on ahead and be with your family."

"We talked about this Rick." Michonne folded her arms to her chest.

"No, you talked about it Michonne."

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"Okay."

" _Okay_ , or Okay give me five more minutes to let this marinate, and I will be good and pissed off?" Rick questioned.

"I am hurt and disappointed." Michonne stated simply.

"Everything is happening so fast Michonne," Rick said honestly.

"Well, what in the hell do you expect when you are in a whirlwind romance?"

He paused. A notable quiet bounced and leaped around the room. Whirlwind? Romance?

"I thought it was sheer insanity I was experiencing." Rick touched a thumb to his brow.

"No, it's called being so totally into someone, Rick. You are into me, as I am into you. I guess I am more so."

"Can we just-"

"Just what Rick? New Year's Eve is Tomorrow. I am flying out in the morning, and silly me booked you a ticket. You can take me home tonight."

"I wish I had a clue."

"No clues, Rick. I am going to give you answers."

"The thing between us has only been, less than three weeks. We are navigating."

"Your point?"

"What are you thinking?"

"I am in a relationship with you." Michonne responded honestly.

"Relationship?" The response and it's directness caught Rick right in the chest, nearest to his heart unexpectedly.

"Boyfriend, Girlfriend. I'm your lady. You are my man." Michonne declared.

"Shouldn't I ask you? Shouldn't permission be granted?"

"Are you denying me, Rick?"

"I'm not saying that-"

"Your point?"

"I have a point." He declared not as strongly as he should have if he really felt strongly to break this thing off.

He just had to find it. He had to find it quick. Michonne wanted to go home. She wasn't going back to his place like he thought.

"Do you want to see other people?" Michonne questioned.

"Do you?"

"No. I haven't been even on a date with anyone other than, Tyrese in the Mailroom and-"

"Who the hell is Tyrese and where was I when this date happened?"

...

Last Halloween had every indication that Michonne and I were eventually going to take things to another level when she came waltzing into the office dressed as a zombie with Carl and Judith in tow and they were dressed just as uniquely and morbidly as one could imagine. I hadn't seen Michonne all day, and she wasn't answering any of my calls. Just text.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Where are you Michonne?

 **Michonne** : I am really starting to believe that you don't know where I am.

 **Mr. Grimes** : I have no clue. I was told that you have the day off. I would like you to know that Halloween is not a recognized holiday here at GO Stop. You won't get to use the one in February.

 **Michonne:** I should take away your texting privileges, Asshole.

 **Mr. Grimes** : I was talking about Valentines. Why must I be an Asshole? You took Valentines as a holiday two years in a row. I remember. It wasn't for Martin Luther King Jr. But for Cupid.

 **Michonne:** Just imagine if you were my Valentine...You would remember more than my absence : )

 **Mr. Grimes** : Would I now?

 **Michonne:** Do you want me to continue?

 **Mr. Grimes** : What would I remember?

 **Michonne:** A nice cooked meal. Candlelight.

 **Mr. Grimes:** Where is this taking place?

 **Michonne:** My place.

 **Mr. Grimes** : What are you wearing?

 **Michonne:** What would you like me to be wearing?

 **Mr. Grimes** : ...

 **Michonne:** Whelp! That's my indication you have gone blank. I have your kids with me. We have been looking for blood, and Judith wants an actual zombie outfit. We have gone to 3 costume stores and finally found one that I am having altered as we speak.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Zombie?

 **Michonne:** You come back to your senses?

 **Mr. Grimes** : Where's Lori?

 **Michonne:** Setting up the house with the Nanny and Shane for the party tonight. Zombie Walking Dead Themed.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Zombie?

 **Michonne:** Why I am breaking the news to you by text, Mr. Grimes.

 **Mr. Grimes:** What in the hell is the Walking Dead?

 **Michonne** : This should have been a conversation between you and Lori.

 **Mr. Grimes:** I know.

 **Michonne:** Not with me. With Lori. With your children.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Too late?

 **Michonne** : Yes. They are excited.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Blood, Guts and Gore?

 **Michonne** : They love the show The Walking Dead.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Should we add that to our Movie night?

 **Michonne** : It is a series. I have no idea of your endurance of staying up or how long it would take us. I have only watched a few to have a clue.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Is it something I would like?

 **Michonne** : Quite sure. There is a character that reminds me of you. You would be completely out of character, I know, but he's a Deputy Sheriff on the series. I picked up a Deputy Sheriff costume for tonight's Halloween's party at Lori's for you. I have one for me. I am a deputy to your deputy.

 **Mr. Grimes** : There's no such thing as a Deputy to a Deputy.

 **Michonne:** You have to watch the episode when he is walking with woman that can handle a Katana. They are dressed alike.

 **Mr. Grimes:** You sure I am going to like this?

...

"Trick or treat!" Carl and Judith exclaimed running into my office after making their rounds at GO Stop Insurance collecting candy with Michonne.

Tradition. It was interesting how one holiday became inappropriate and the other became inappropriately popular.

It was one thing to have Carol trying to walk in 6in stilettos dressed in a playboy bunny outfit, it was another to have Michonne, Carl, and Judith rubbing fake blood on my face and neck behind closed doors in my office.

My kids were always happy to see me and I could not deny them the opportunity to ruin my 500.00 crisp white shirt. Carl and Judith was unaware of Michonne being a little to inappropriate or forward and I for a moment allowed the brief contact of her soft fingers as she made sure I didn't have any visible skin under my jaw as she rubbed another dab of fake blood.

Her touch. I thought of Valentines Day and what exactly I would want Michonne scantily clad in when Carl shouted that he had the most Candy bars compared to Judith. He also wanted to share with Michonne the only Chocolate Big Kat in the bunch.


	9. Stuff Your Mouth With My Cake

_"It's as if I've stepped off the edge of a cliff, and even though my heart's in my mouth and my stomach is in knots, I'm the most excited I've ever been in my life. I'm totally enthralled by him. I want him, every part of him, and I desperately want him to feel the same way about me."_  
 _― Serena Grey, Rebellion _

* * *

He was a cunnilingus, God. He loved to eat pussy. I like to think it was my pussy he loved to eat and it made the experience that more pleasurable.

"Oh, my!"

"That's it?" Rick asked. He was apparently amused and aroused.

"Yes." I was breathless, high, riding cloud 9, 10,11 and 12. His voice just made the experience just that more intense. I couldn't look at him. I could just imagine his face, his lips slick with my love juices. I was rendered motionless except for the tremor that coursed throughout from the occasional aftershock.

"How much time do you need to recover?"

"Stop talking for a minute. Your voice." A random orgasm escaped from out of nowhere. I was going to lose my mind.

"What about my voice, Michonne?" Rick spoke huskily.

"Stop it," I began to plead with him, and he rolled me on top of him, laughing. Laughter. We shared a similar disposition to what we considered funny and realized we never laughed with anyone as we did with each other. We found amusement in the awkward, vulnerability we would discover in each other, including our shared dark, strange, peculiar and the sweet that we developed or played off the other in our banter on the couch or in the office behind closed doors.

Three weeks of knowing each other sexually did not compare to the three years we forged a work-relationship that birth a child called friendship. The Sex enhanced everything. The sex was just icing on the cake.

"I didn't think you were going to come to Miami."

"What level of piss would that be, Michonne?" Rick asked.

"I am not always pissed, Rick."

"No? Why is that?"

I knew Rick wanted me to acknowledge that he made tons of effort to smooth things over. I was beginning to hate his term for when he upset me or his way of describing my response to not appreciating an outcome that would work in my favor.

"Concentration does not mean pissed."

"Really?"

"Sometimes, I have to play scenarios in my head. I have to concentrate to do it."

"Well, I can't imagine the level of concentration that you would be doing if I didn't come to Miami. The Scenario you would have in your head would probably be a Labyrinth. A maze. Not amaze. MAZE. A convoluted maze that I would have no idea how to get back to you nor you back to me or you back to GO Stop." Rick smacked my ass.

"You do get me." I buried my face into his neck.

"For a long time."

"Did you have a good time?"

"Yes. I did. I was nervous that you weren't going to answer your phone."

"I wasn't. Luckily it said you were at the Miami Airport. Only reason."

"You have a tracking device on me?"

"GPS. You know where I am too."

"You weren't in my bed the other morning." Rick noted.

"I am sure you didn't need GPS to know that I-"

"I didn't like it." Rick said firmly.

"What?"

"You not being there yesterday. Knowing that you were here in Miami. I don't like when it's been hours and I haven't had a chance to see you or talk to you."

"Kiss me before I'm the first to say..." Rick kissed me deeply. He kissed me before I could tell him that I was so very much in love with him.

...

"It's my Birthday." Michonne tried to convey the reasoning the gifts were left on her desk and for no other reason.

"Everyone else that has a birthday get's a card signed by everyone on the whole damn floor and Mr. Grimes name you may find buried somewhere, if at all. It takes five years to get a keychain, which is work related." Carol stood at Michonne's desk admiring the flowers. She heard who the name of the sender.

"You didn't hear that." Michonne regretted squealing.

"I can't un-hear it either." Carol's eyebrow arched. She was suspicious and she wasn't stupid.

"I was surprised." Michonne admitted.

"I would have been too. I have been here over 15 years and never received flowers from Mr. Grimes."

"Can you _not_ say anything?" Michonne pleaded with her eyes.

"I can't say nothing. but you don't have to worry about me going around saying anything. What is in the box? You've been with the company less than two years-"

"Over two years-" Michonne corrected.

"Well, less than five." Carol still found a way to minimize.

"Ms. Pettier in my Office." Mr. Grimes sticks his head out of his open door and calls, leaving his door open.

Michonne hurried and opened the box and found an expensive watch. She gasped. 'Keeping Time...' She began to read.

Mr. Grimes peered out again, "When I call Ms. Pettier, that means you too Michonne, I mean, Ms. Benton."

"Thank you, Mr. Grimes. Coming, Mr. Grimes. Hey!" Michonne motioned for Mr. Grimes to come to her desk where she was still seated. She had just arrived back from lunch when she found the flowers and the small gift box that wasn't there earlier in the day.

"Yeah?" Mr. Grimes walked over to Michonne.

"Come here." Michonne motioned more frantic for him to hurry with a little more pep in his step.

"What's up?"

"Why did you have flowers and a gift for me here at my desk, isn't this inappropriate?" Michonne kept her voice low as she spoke. Michonne had shown him the watch with a huge smile on her face.

"Are you going to make me regret buying the watch?" Mr. Grimes asked exasperatedly.

"Of course not. I LOVE the watch. I love the flowers. I just wasn't expecting it, and I squealed about the sender of the flowers. Carol heard me.

"Oh." Mr. Grimes began to understand where, Michonne was going with the conversation, "She didn't see the watch?"

"No."

"Good." Mr. Grimes was evidently relieved. "The flowers, are flowers."

"The flowers are beautiful, and I love them. Thank you." To Michonne the flowers weren't just flowers especially when they were from Mr. Grimes.

"You are welcome, Michonne. Happy Birthday. Now come to my office so we can get this meeting over with."

Mr. Grimes was uncomfortable with the emotions that he felt watching that smile that lit up her face. He couldn't look at her for long when she was happy.

"Okay." Michonne placed the watch quickly on her wrist for safety purposes and realized it fit perfectly. The right amount of links were taken off. She followed behind Mr. Grimes who had felt compelled to help her clasp it, but he fought against the act that would appear too intimate and inappropriate for him in a workplace environment just outside his office, especially with the amount of people inside waiting to scream...

"SURPRISE!"

...

"Son, Michonne has told me you just acknowledge the full scope of her potential to her Personal Assistant Duties."

Rick had stopped chewing and eyed Michonne who sat across the dining room table from him completely expressionless. Lori began to cough quietly into her cloth napkin.

"She said it was recent."

"Michonne is an asset to the company. She works hard." Rick eyed Michonne after looking away from his Father who was positioned further down the dining table.

"We are very happy to finally have a chance to meet, Michonne. Your children speak highly of her and Lori has nothing but good things to say about Michonne and based on the Christmas present you had given her is there something you want to share with us on Christmas Day?"

"Senior!" Ms. Ella, Rick's mother, exclaimed. Her husband Senior Grimes was completely out of line.

"Michonne and I are still navigating."

"How long this navigation been going on son?"

"Michonne and I have been together for awhile. Just not in the sense you may be thinking."

"So you two are dating or not dating?" Senior Grimes was confused as was everyone at the table except Lori who knew the situation and Carl who thought he knew.

"Dad says he is not allowed to date anyone that works at his office. He says it would be Highly Inappropriate. Right Dad?"

Lori pushed her chair and stood from the table asking, "I bet we all would love Cake right about now! Cake?"

...

"Navigating?" Michonne questioned.

"Navigating."

"Sounds like we don't have any real direction." Michonne points out.

"It's been almost three weeks. Almost and only! I also have to think of what to tell my kids if it comes down to it."

"If it comes down to it? Why do I sense something amidst, Rick?"

"I have the feeling that I am saying the wrong things?"

"I know where I want this to go." Michonne stated plainly.

"I have no doubt, Michonne. You got me in your bed. I say you pretty much have been at the steering wheel."

"Steering wheel?"

"Driving me Crazy."

"This has to be a conversation. Things can't just be glossed over."

"That is what we are having. You talk and I listen."

"Well sometimes I want you to talk and I listen. I shouldn't have to put ideas in your head Mr. -" Michonne lost her train of thought when Rick began to gently massage her nipple with his thumb.

"That is what I did. I spoke. I said we are Navigating. Now open up your legs Michonne and let me taste you. I've had this on my mind all day. It's Christmas night. Let me enjoy myself in peace and quiet."

"Dirty talk?" Michonne was slightly surprised and hurried before Rick would go mute. "Do you want to taste my Cake again?"

"Yes."

That was the beginning and end of the sex talk. Rick went quiet and she went wild for the both of them.


	10. CEO Gets Jiggy With It

_"Speak to me: I will spend my lifetime trying to understand you."_  
 _― Kamand Kojouri_

* * *

"So, you are in Miami?"

"Yeah. Last minute, change of plans." Rick informed. He sat up in bed. He allowed the blanket to fall away from his body.

"Where's Michonne?"

"Sleeping." Rick glanced over at Michonne who had morphed into the sexiest woman alive _to_ _him_ , who's naked back was uncovered by the white sheet that moved based on his movement.. Michonne was asleep on her stomach her face was buried in her pillow. It was New Year's Day. Mid-day.

"Your kids want to FaceTime you this morning. It's evening for us in Australia."

"Are they disappointed?"

"That you aren't here? Just a tad bit, Rick. You on FaceTime will make up for it I am sure."

"My laptop needs charging."

"Can you ask Michonne to use hers. I have her on FaceTime. Can just connect under hers or..."

"I hate the small screen of the phone. One second and let me get Michonne's laptop that happens to be on my side. Michonne, can I use your laptop to FaceTime, my kids?"

"Yes." Michonne answered falling right back to sleep.

"What is your password?" Rick whispered.

"I love Grimes."

"Michonne?" Rick questioned the accuracy and the sleepy mind of Michonne.

"I'm so tired." Michonne whined.

"What is your password?" Rick insisted.

" _I_ _love_ _Grimes_."

"With spaces?"

"Yes. We weren't Blurring until recently. Now let me sleep." She grabbed an extra pillow and placed it over her head.

...  
"Are we going to watch the Walking Dead or are we going to talk? Make up your mind, Grimes."

"I don't understand the character that you said represents me. Why in the hell does he go into Alexandria and falls for the blonde who is married with children and not make a life with the woman who had been by his side since the prison?"

"I recall your blonde haze. I think if you actually pondered a little bit longer you would have the answers. Can I press play now?"

"Wait, Michonne, hear me out...why do you insist that I fit that characterization?"

"If there was a Zombie Apocalypse and you were into being Character A and I -I'm taken liberty here Grimes, I was thrown into as Character B to your Character A-are you following me?" Michonne asked before she continued.

"Of course I am."

"We have gone through shit together. Blood, fighting, sweat, hunger, survival, no bathing or brushing our teeth for an extended period. Imagine that. Your marinated funk. My marinated funk. The groups commingled funkiness, just fricking Grimy because hygiene takes a back seat. Things that make another person pleasant to be around is no more for awhile until they finally get to Alexandria. You and I and your children. This blonde never been outside the gates. She is clean. She smells good. She has had hot running water, deodorant and toothpaste. You would probably leave the dirty fighter because your mind snaps to a time where cleanliness represents home, the past when things were safe. She's blonde; you want her at any cost even though she is fucking worthless."

"I have the distinct feeling we are talking about real life Jessie which was almost two years ago, Michonne. You have a thing against blondes?"

"Just the worthless ones. No value. None." Michonne did not hide her displeasure.

"You are trying to re-live a moment that isn't a good moment for neither of us. Let's get back to the topic of the Walking Dead, please. Do you think they smell bad?"

"Every single one of them and anyone that finds them attractive I am judging every single person. Maggie and Glen. Ughh. What does that smell like? Not enough baby wipes."

"I can't imagine you smelling bad, Michonne."

"I have no words for you, Mr. Grimes."

"I bet you are very resourceful. If I were stranded on a deserted Island and I had a choice of one person, it would be you, Michonne."

"Yeah?"

"Yep."

"Not even your current fling?"

"About that-"

"Please spare me the details. I can't handle details and I don't want to know who it is. I don't want to meet her. I don't want to know."

"I spend a lot of time with you, Michonne. That should be a clue for you of what is happening to _that_ relationship."

"I'm sorry, my mind went blank. I blacked out for a moment. Were you talking about something?"

"Yes. The Walking Dead and if they smell bad." Grimes gave Michonne a curious look before smiling.

"I give you permission to take me down. Shoot me right here if there was a Zombie Apocalypse and you came back with no toothpaste."

"We would be together?" Grimes asked.

"Kind of weird that we sit on the couch like them sometimes." Michonne smiled.

"The one with the Katana just doesn't seem like the type to just stay quiet and not tell him straight up; you are fucking up."

"Hell, yeah. When she hit him in the head with the brick that would have been your wake up call that I had enough of your shit, Grimes." Michonne agreed.

"Would that be the Blurring event?"

"You keep asking me about blurring. Do you want to blur or not?"

"I don't keep asking." Mr. Grimes denied.

"You are always looking for a lead in."

"Curious."

"It is a strange phenomenon because when we blur, there is no un-blurring."

"Why not?"

"That's how I know you aren't for sure."

"What if I don't like my vision being altered and want to step back from this phenomenon you speak of?"

"There's no stepping back. Your view will be okay when we are officially blurring. In fact, it is only then you will see everything crystal clear."

"Are we permitted to Blur with other people when we want?"

Michonne presses play to the Walking Dead where the female character with the Katana speaks in the scene that they randomly started because they couldn't remember where they had left off .

Michonne: Deanna hasn't given me a job yet.  
Rick Grimes: You want one?

Mr. Grimes stands up grabbing the remote from Michonne and turns his television off.

"What?" Michonne was surprised by the act.

"I don't want to watch this if you aren't."

"I am."

"No you aren't."

"How do you know?"

"Because we are way past this and until we can get the air right between us, No more Walking Dead. It's made you weird."

"Weird?"

"Weirder. Better?"

"You think I am pissed. I am not." Michonne countered the un-hurled accusation.

"You have no reason to be Michonne."

"You want me to leave?"

"I would have said that. You know I would have. I haven't. What is going on in your mind?"

"I would never blur with you knowing you would even consider blurring with anyone else, _after_ we have blurred. I am putting it out there. That was right there on my brain."

"You and I have a good thing going and I have no idea why I would blur. It sounds oddly scary, all consuming and don't forget career suicide thing to do with you."

"Why are you looking at my lips?" Michonne became self conscience.

"I'm looking at your face in general, Michonne."

"Are you going to sit down or what?"

"I was thinking we go for a walk."

"A walk?"

"Get a pizza at that fancy shop and sit out back by the pool tonight. You can tell me all about your dress that you chose for the Office Christmas Party this year."

"It's in three weeks and I would love to go for a walk with you, Mr. Grimes. Pizza sounds fantastic if you are going to try the alfredo sauce."

"I will try the Alfredo Sauce since it is coming highly recommended by you for the 100th time, Michonne."

...

"I know I have never missed New Year's Eve with you guys before, but I'd promised Ms. Michonne that I would come to Miami and meet her family."

"Grandpa thinks you like, Ms. Michonne, like as in a girlfriend. Mom does too. They don't seem to understand how much trouble you could get into if you did."

"Well, that's where the navigating comes into play. What are your thoughts, Judith?"

"You are a good dancer, Daddy."

"What?"

"Oh, yeah. We watched a video of you dancing. Mom says you never dance." Carl informed.

"Dancing?"

"Mom." Carl was partly visible on the screen as he yelled for Lori.

"Yeah." Judith answered.

"Hi. What's up?" Lori appeared with the kids on the screen.

"Where's the video of Dad dancing?" Carl asked. He was prepared to reveal it in the background.

"Oh. That. Rick. I should have led in with that huh?" Lori looked at the confused face that belong to her ex-husband.

"What video?" Rick asked Lori.

"Whatever you are doing in Miami and at the Christmas Party has merged into a growing sensation on the internet. CEO gets Jiggy with it."

"What the hell is Jiggy?"

"I think, Michonne was getting Jiggy and you were certainly with it?" Lori was trying to reason with the terminology.

"I wasn't drunk. I didn't do anything obscene. I was drunk at the Christmas Party, but I wasn't at the New Year's Eve. I had a glass of Champagne with Michonne, and that was it."

"No one said you did, Rick. You danced. It will go down as the year you danced."

"What level is this Lori?"

"Highly Inappropriate."


	11. Be Glad I Didn't Twerk

_"Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn't mean to take."_  
 _― Angela N. Blount, Once Upon an Ever After_

* * *

"Sometimes I wonder how did you get as far as you have without me."

"What do you mean?" Rick glanced at the time on his Citizen Watch.

"It's like you need me to calm your nerves when we get to the realm of crap that confuses the shit out of you. You go to no one but me. I need you to realize as a team this is how we are capable of seizing the moment."

"Seizing the moment?"

"You are like an action hero to me."

"Action hero, Michonne?"

"Yes, Rick."

"Are we making light of this situation?"

"I'm the woman you need. You didn't know this because you hadn't realized the need to blur with her/me. Blurring with me was going to be quintessential to your success as a household name."

"Is this how you are going to spin this shit?" Rick asked completely agitated.

"It did say Go Stop Insurance. It did have vehicles that represent families from various economic background choosing Go Stop." Michonne was at a loss on why Rick was unable to make the connection.

"Is this how you are going to spin this shit?"

"It has 250k views, Rick, and climbing."

"Lori agrees it is inappropriate and the only reason I am slow to act is I am not sure if the T-Dogg that is attached to this video production is the same family member that was at the New Year's Eve party last night. I am ready to send legal to have it pulled, shut down and removed, sealed and-"

"You danced. Your happy feet have been awaken. What in the hell is wrong with that? What is so bad about dancing?"

"You make me do things I have never done before and I am how old?" Rick's question was more rhetorical.

"Is this a bad thing?" Michonne repeated.

"Oh my God woman." Rick was exasperated.

"Nothing is obscene. I wasn't fucking twerking, and you weren't leering. We were dancing. Do you want me to play it back?"

"So twerking is worst than getting Jiggy with it? Shit, thanks for the slang update for my literary notebook."

"Jiggy is outdated. But the way it is incorporated it is funny as hell." Michonne giggled.

"Now, I am a laughing stock?"

"If you don't calm down. If I had been fucking twerking _then_ you'll have some shit to worry about, Rick." Michonne noticed her tone calmed Rick from going to level 10 down to level four which made him manageable. "I would have all kinds of rappers calling up GO Stop to have me guest starring with this delicate ass."

"I would have them all for harassment. I take it twerking has something to do with your rear?"

"Connecting dots. Do you want me to replay and we watch it together?"

"I've watched it 20 times to add to those views. I watched waiting for you to wake up Michonne."

"I'm up. I am going to wash up, and you are going to order us room service."

"You can eat at a time like this?" Rick stopped pacing at the foot of the bed. He could do nothing but stare at Michonne.

"Yes." Michonne said calmly.

"How? We are on the internet, Michonne. I am your boss. Everyone will see and have a visual clue and know." On the video it was obvious that Rick Sinclair Grimes was attracted to Michonne Benton and the attraction was mutual.

"What they will know is that we have our first simulated commercial. You are going to call over to whoever is sleeping at the wheel with advertising for GO Stop to watch this video and get them in contact with T-Dogg. Yes, he is my cousin. He owns a small video production company. Most rappers come his way, but he knows his stuff. He's random like I am and very knowledgeable. See how quickly he threw this together? I've just sent his number to you to give to advertising to think of ways to incorporate a new image. I'm not saying the rap aspect before you open your mouth. A _new_ _aspect_. YOU. The owner of the company that has more rhythm and is sexy about it. GO Stop should soon outperform the lizard and the nasal woman Flo. Go Stop should climb among the younger crowd and the middle age who are trying to get their groove back along with the old crowd that didn't realize they let it die. If you need me in the boardroom to discuss this angle I will, since I am certain you will have a stone in your throat the size of a boulder. I predict sales to tick upward and that department alone to have an increase amounting to a higher call volume in the next two weeks as this thing goes completely viral and people realize you are the billionaire behind the company that wants to keep drivers and their loved ones adequately covered behind the wheel, with a nice groove."

"I have something to say to all this." Rick watched the gorgeous nude body rise from the bed after closing her laptop, shutting down her IPad and phone.

"If you want to send legal after T-dogg, okay. He should have known he needed your permission to use you and your likeness along with the company logo in the way that he did; I get it. The person that you should be after is the Christmas Party attendee who leaked you dancing at the Office Christmas Party. I will agree that small snippet was a touch sexier, I give you that, Rick. Sexy isn't necessarily bad. That video has over 758k views."

"You don't care about you AND how it looks for you, Michonne?"

"I'm dancing with my man." Michonne shrugged and left Rick to his stunned madness.

...

"You are going to be out of your element." Michonne sized up Rick in the foyer of his home.

"I am? You said we were going to see a play."

"Sort of. Here is an early Christmas present" Michonne pulled a small box from under the little tree that they had set up together two days earlier.

"Christmas is in three days."

"You only know this because I told you 20 minutes ago."

"My days are all jumbled."

"We have officially scheduled away from GO Stop for the next few weeks. We have been spending a lot of time in bed getting acquainted in the most wonderful way and the days are just slipping from us, well mostly you, and I am here to keep you on track."

"The track seems to lead us back to my bed at the end of the day." Rick tried to fight a smirk. "You like testing if it is a fluke."

Michonne knew this was his attempt at dirty talk. It made her smile a bit.

"Okay. It isn't a fluke. Now open this gift."

"It isn't Christmas."

"I know. It is still a gift from me to you. Consider it an award for proving the odds were in your favor that my orgasms could be produced by your very knowledgeable technique and grand mastery."

"A Citizen Watch?"

"Eco Drive."

"Citizen?"

"Take off your Rolex, Rick, and put on that Citizen before I go on a tangent about Citizen."

"Why would I take off my Rolex to put on a Citizen, Michonne?"

"When we get to where we are going you will know exactly why and I refuse to have you finessed out of your expensive watch on my watch." Michonne hoped he caught her play on words.

"I thought we were going to see a play?" Rick allowed Michonne to remove his Rolex and replace it with a nicely weighted Citizen that fit. Just the right amount of links and it went well with his casual attire. Michonne took his Rolex into his bedroom and placed it with his other extremely expensive watches.

...

"Michonne, I am so glad you made it. I am delighted you brought extra hands. God is good."

"Father Gabriel this is Rick Grimes. Rick, this is Father Gabriel who is in need of help getting this play set up since a few no shows happened."

"Pleasure meeting you, Mr. Grimes. I have never seen you around these parts but God has you here, and we are in need."

"God was the only one aware that I was going to be backstage." Rick eyed Michonne who kept her eyes trained on the chaos that was happening.

"Opening night. I have two young girls in need, and then we can go from there?" Father Gabriel suggested as he led them to a makeshift area for hair and makeup. "We have the devil trying to make sure we don't put on the truth of our version of the Christmas Story. Our version of course." Father Gabriel was exasperated wondering what happened to the twins.

"I am only aware of one version," Rick stated.

"We, here at the church are blessed to have a very talented group of youth that's ready to present what they have re-invented as their Christmas story. A Christmas story where we wished we had gifts under the tree like toys or school uniform not a gun, a BB gun like the original story. A BB gun could easily get a black child killed around these parts."

"Times have changed. The BB gun represented in the original Christmas story wasn't a good choice for a kid. It is crazy to suggest that any child with a gun in any demographic would have a pleasant outcome when the police arrived."

"Where did you find him, Michonne?"

"We just recently found each other, Father."

"Do you think you need to put a muzzle on him?" Father Gabriel asked cautiously.

"What?" Rick questioned what he could have possibly said that would warrant muzzling.

"No. Anyone who thinks they can go up against this particular person would have to go up against me first. I have an idea of who the hotheads are, and they will wish they paused before making a decision that could get them life in prison when they find out who he is when we are here to watch these children put on a play." Michonne turned from speaking to Father Gabriel and then to the man she came to the worst part of town with, "Right, Rick?"

"Then that means, we would be sitting out-" Rick was cut short.

"But extra hands you need." Michonne eyed Rick.

He was sulking in between lifting set arrangements. I was lucky to find him when I did and escorted him to remain tied to my hip. His job was to help me comb two bi-racial girls hair that sat patiently on stools waiting for someone anyone to get started. Rick looked to me in awe of what I was commanding him to do.

"There isn't another woman, Michonne?"

"They are expected out in five minutes, and I just found them. Now take this brush, Mister."

"This is bigger than a Lion's Mane." Rick marveled.

"I have a concoction in this spray bottle. Squirt, Squirt and brush gentle upward like I am doing. Watch me, Rick."

"Is this even appropriate for me to-"

"Gay men do hair. Heterosexual men do hair."

"I have never done Judith's hair."

"I know. Now brush, Mister."

The little girl giggled watching the man brush her sister's hair slowly like he never seen hair in his life.

"We aren't tender-headed. Abby is a little but she is getting used to it."

"If her name is Abby, then what is your name?" Rick asked.

"Billi Joe."

"If this is too painful, please speak up," Rick informed the girl who became less tense as he continued to squirt more concoction from the bottle.

"You remind us of our Daddy." Billi Joe smiled while her hair was being quickly done up by Michonne.

"How so?" Rick asked. He paused until he got the look from Michonne to keep working.

"When our mama was too high he would try to comb our hair to send us to school."

"Too high?"

"Drugs." Michonne eyed Rick. "Brush upward. They are to put on Angel wings, and I was told they need their hair way up on top."

Michonne had managed to put Billi Joe's hair in a neat bun in less than three minutes. Rick was still squirting and admiring the change in managebility. Ringlets.

"Where's your Dad?" Rick asked.

"Prison." The two girls answered simultaneously.

"Where's your mother?" Rick found himself very curious.

"Dead."

I had to bump Rick from his job. He did saturate Abby's hair. A few strokes of the brush I had her hair in a neat bun right at the five-minute mark. I knew he was flabbergasted by what he was told. The thing was- those two pretty girls weren't the only one in attendance with a story. The prevalence of drugs, lack of education, along with entering into the prison system was a common theme. He was a man with the financial means to help facilitate change. He was worth billions. I wasn't going to push. I never pushed with Mr. Grimes. Hint often. Sometimes subtle. Overt put him in overload, I learned. He liked baby steps. Let me think...how many baby steps to get him to blur...

"That's amazing, Michonne. The two girls look-" Rick took in the transformation.

"Groomed. Like someone gives a damn." Michonne arms were folded as she spoke.

"I needed longer than five minutes," Rick revealed.

"No, you needed all day. Maybe our set of twins to practice on."

"What you did was easy enough. I just never done it, Michonne. Before we have children, I would know how to do their hair. There wouldn't be Practice as you put it. I would-wait. What in the hell am I talking about with you?"

"You can have us." Abby offered.

"Shhh." Billi Joe scolded.

"Where are the angels?" Father Gabriel rushed in happy to see their hair was taken care of and that wings needed to be attached and those were waiting for them by the stage entry.

Later that evening, we crashed across his bed. We were both fully clothed staring at the ceiling.

"We did it."

"Grand applause." Rick remarked.

"You did a good job stepping in, Rick. Ad-libbing as White Santa Claus." Michonne giggled.

"Ho, Ho, Ho, from the black Santa and the White Santa says, Merry Christmas? Was this even church appropriate?" Rick turned to look at the side of Michonne's face.

"It was a packed house, and I appreciate you taking the bus with me to that side of town and back."

"About that, I will not go again. I don't like surprises like that Michonne. I like to have a clear idea of what I am getting into, and that was not what you implied or led me to believe."

"Too out of your element?" Michonne turned and gave him her full attention.

"I am not going again. No riding the bus. No going to the inner city, poor communities white or black. You want me to donate? Contact whoever is in charge of community services for GO Stop to get in touch with Father Gabriel to point us in the right directions to help and be more involved but as for me, Richard Sinclare Grimes to go into the Ghetto, projects, Trailer parks, is a NO. I don't give a damn how inappropriate you think my desire to stay in my lane is, but it is outside my comfort level. I want to help the two little girls somehow on a personal level. I don't know how. I want time to think about it without you intruding on that. Can I have that?"

"For some reason, I love when you tell me how you feel. It makes me horny."

"You are one of the few people. Very few people that know how I feel, Michonne. For a long time, I have confided in you."

"And for a long time, I have been very horny."

"Michonne, you are nutty." Rick couldn't hold his laughter in any longer. He allowed her kisses that she peppered all over his face.

"Let's get in the shower. Get the Grime off."

"Thank you for my watch." Rick grabbed her arm as she lifted off the bed.

"Yeah?"

"Something about it I like. I like it. I realize I didn't tell you that. I caught the engraving. ' _Grimes Time'_. Thank you, Michonne."

I had another gift under the tree for him. I had an expensive Rolex that he did not own and was within my budget to provide for him. I did notice he always wore the Citizen that I gave him after that day.

We washed away the day, and I wanted to pleasure him by going on my knees once we turned the water off from the jets. I didn't want to make him self-conscience, but I was curious to why he would go completely silent when having sex.

Oral would normally have a man somewhat vocal. Not, Rick. He would cum so unexpectedly, and I would've appreciated a warning because he came in waves. His load was a thick burst, going down the back of my throat. I knew it had to be intense for him because he fell to his knees once I let him go and he tongue the hell out of me.


	12. I Don't Want To Un-Blur

_"There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare."_  
 _― Mary Renault, The Charioteer _

* * *

I am in love.

I had to sit down with myself and admit it. It was a very hard pill to swallow. I, Richard Sinclaire Grimes, was in love with Michonne Benton. I had no idea what to do with myself. It was consuming me. I was paranoid. I wondered if everyone in the office knew or were they whispering about it behind my back.

My vacation was over and I was back. Michonne and I weren't on good footing from the argument we had this morning at my place. I didn't want her to think anything changed between us. I wasn't trying to insult her intelligence. I wanted to go over the game plan one more time. She was pissed and I was pissed and she said she was going to the mailroom before coming up to the 8th floor.

Mailroom. Tyrese was in the mailroom. I still didn't have a clear picture of who in the hell was Tyrese and if he was the reason, Michonne was going down to the mailroom to possibly rekindle whatever or to flirt or to have sex with him on top of a pile un-opened envelopes. I had a headache that only intensified until she finally made an appearance in my doorway.

"Mr. Grimes, we have a meeting in ten minutes. Do you want me to go on ahead of you to get set up?"

"I was thinking you fly this solo."

"Solo?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Grimes, the entire board will be there and the virtual sites are up and ready to discuss. We have advertising and the legal department are all signed in."

"This is your time to shine, Ms. Benton. I want you to shine."

"What is going on, Rick?" Michonne steps inside and closes the door behind her.

"Don't close the door, Michonne."

"What?"

"Open the damn door." Rick barked.

"NO."

"We talked about this. Well if you were listening you would have known that I said things are going to change more so when we are in the work environment and you do the one thing that tells me you are really trying to fucking sabotage everything."

"Sabotage?"

"I can't have you here. I can't. I need you to find something within GO Stop that you are really good at and take it. This is your audition in 5minutes. A position will be offered and I need you to think about taking it or -"

"Or what, Rick?"

She was going to cry. I felt it in my gut and before I could respond she was gone.

I didn't feel this way about any woman ever. I loved her and wanted to do nothing but be with her. I began to search for something to do to keep my mind off of what or how the board meeting would go. They were prepared to listen to the commercial pitch and to offer Michonne the Operations and Finance Position. I went to Candy Crush but I couldn't concentrate.

I was gnawing at my nails.

I needed a cigarette and in walks Carol.

"You and Michonne?"

"Excuse me?"

"I've been here more than 15 years, and I have never known you to dance. When I started, I was one of the few that was silly enough to walk up to you and ask you to dance at one office Christmas Party. You turned me down in such a manner; I knew under no particular circumstances to ever ask again."

"Where are we going with this conversation?"

"You didn't ask me how my holiday was this year. You didn't ask me about my New Year as the usual routine. You didn't even ask me to bake you cookies. Instead, you and Michonne waltz back into the office a day after each other. Usually, you come in together more than come in separately."

"We do not come in together to work. That is untrue. She goes to get Starbucks. I come to work ahead of her most times. Michonne has to have her Starbucks."

"She would know exactly how you like your coffee."

"What are we doing, Carol?"

"Talking. I haven't had a chance to chat with you since last year."

"Michonne topically is off limits."

"Like that?"

"Like that."

"I'm on your side."

"I have a private life and a not so private life. Right now isn't a good time to find some amusement when I am trying to make a decision that affects me and how I proceed. Right now I don't need you on my side I just need to be left the hell alone. Ms. Pettier."

...

"Why are you staring at me?"

"You want me to look away?"

"I want you to trust me."

"I do trust you, Michonne."

"I am the best thing that happened to you."

"I would have to agree."

"But you are laughing. This is a serious moment, Grimes!"

"Very serious."

"We both can't just let these rollerblades defeat us. Now stand up." Michonne insisted.

"This is the fourth time I have fallen, and three of them were with you. There is a steep incline less than 20 more feet from where you and I are right now. I have no idea how to stop, and I refuse to go what 5 to 10 miles or more an hour with you in my way. I am absolutely certain you don't know how to stop ."

"I think we stop by pointing our toes forward?"

"You think I want to go at a speed of what did I say?"

"You didn't hit your head."

"I want to make sure you were listening, Michonne."

"5 to 10miles an hour and I wouldn't be in your way, Grimes. You would be in my way."

"That is a pretty high speed and neither of us had the brains to ask Carl and Judith how to stop?"

"We should have asked them how to skate." Michonne giggled.

"You are bleeding, Michonne." Mr. Grimes noticed the scrape along her elbow.

"You are too." Michonne eyed his two scrapped knees. "Do you think you can stand and we head to my car? I have a first aid kit."

"You have a first aid kit?" Mr. Grimes glanced up again at the woman who was determined to get him on his feet.

"Doesn't everyone?"

"You are a novelty, Michonne."

"Take my hand, Mr. Grimes." Michonne held onto the park bench for leverage to help her boss to his feet but somehow ended on top of him. The air knocked completely out of the both of them.

"Michonne." The weight of Michonne on top of him was unexpected. Her scent mixed with the outdoors and the lollipop she had consumed 30minutes ago had him strangely heady. Her tongue was licking her bottom lip. Her eyes focused on him and then his lips. If she kissed him, he was sure he would more than likely kiss her back and then fire her by morning when he came to his senses.

There was the moment where he could almost grasp what blurring meant, and then she spoke.

"I want so badly to blur with you. Do you understand me? I can't be in this type of situation with you because I can't help the magnetic force that makes me lose all my damn sense." Michonnes shakes her head and moves off of Mr. Grimes.

"You are certifiably crazy." He remarked.

"Just imagine if you blur with me. You would be too."

Michonne unties her rollerblades and takes them off, and Rick follows suit with his own, sitting next to her on the ground.

"Best idea you had."

"What, blurring?"

"No, taking off these rollerblades."

"I figure we would probably die by head trauma before we made it to my car for the first aid kit. Takes longer to die from stepping on dog shit, rusty nail, glass, dog piss, human spit, human feces, and Urine while walking in our socks."

Mr. Grimes laughed at the woman next to him. He never laughed so hard in his life. It was so freeing to be able to enjoy the company of someone so exquisitely outlandish. She was like the perfect box of chocolate that was all his own.

...

"Ms. Pettier, it's been over 4 hours, is the board meeting still going?"

"No, sir it was over two hours ago." Carol responded without looking away from her computer screen.

"What?" Rick was in shock.

Carol continued typing her office email without a response to his question.

"Where's Michonne?"

"I thought she was topically off limits, sir?" Carol quipped.

"Could you have that board meeting minutes sent to me Carol. Usually Michonne would have had them sent which would have been an indication that she was back. I've been waiting for them and never received anything."

"Maybe you didn't receive anything because she quit, sir?"

"What?" Rick was taken aback.

"She had her box and packed her stuff up nice and neat while you sat in your office doing only God knows what you do in your office. She had the sweet, handsome man from the mailroom help carry her brown box to her car.

"Fire him!"

"I don't have the authority to fire him, sir."

"Fire him."

"Under what grounds?"

"He had no permission to come on the 8th floor to help remove items for Michonne without my express authorization to do so."

"Your expressed permission?" Carol mused. She stopped typing and looked away from her monitor.

"Yes." Rick was in a panic. He was speaking more to himself, "She could be anywhere if she was any random woman but knowing Michonne she is at my place. She had a two hour head start." Rick tried dialing Michonne and got her voicemail. He had waited for a response to his text.

 **Rick:** Why didn't you tell me you were leaving the office? You didn't send me the minutes from the board meeting.

 **Rick:** Carol says you quit. I am going to check with HR.

"Am I to take you seriously about wanting to fire the guy from the mailroom?" Carol asked while Rick was on the phone verifying if there was a possible misunderstanding.

"Damn right."

Rick calls down to HR and the response he received was that Michonne Benton did resign that very day.

"Where's my God damn keys?" He was going to be sick. His heart was weighing heavy on his stomach and any unblurring with Michonne caused him to have a sense of how badly he would grieve if that were the case.

 **Rick:** I don't want to un-blur with you Michonne.


	13. I Am Whirlwind and He is Romance

_"There are two kinds of perfect: The one you can never achieve, and the other, by just being yourself."_  
 _― Lauren King _

* * *

I had never considered un-blurring with Rick. I never thought about what process came with un-blurring someone from your life.

When I arrived with my key to his home, it was overwhelming. Un-blur meant to erase my existence from his life, and in the foyer, I started to re-arrange the table placement, and take the painting down to put back in the other room. The other rooms had my little touches here and there that had me overwhelmed because I couldn't remember why Rick would allow someone to place a Vase that had nothing to do with nothing in the family room, so I left it on the floor to come back to it.

In his bedroom, it hit me the hardest, and I couldn't help crying and all the tears I shed made me weak. Just weak. I climbed onto his bed and collapsed right in the center, and there I wanted to die because I loved him something awful. This love I had was in a battle with the Giant called uncertainty, and they were wrestling in the pit of my gut. I had to resolve this and get the few items of clothing from his room and leave. Change my phone number and move down to Miami.

...

"It's soft serve, Grimes. My favorite flavor, vanilla and chocolate swirl." Michonne winked.

"The shop offered cups."

"I like mine on a cone. Mmmm."

"You got men looking, Michonne."

Michonne shrugged. "They want what you have, Grimes. They are thinking damn that dude is one lucky guy to be with a hot babe like her who knows how to lick ice cream. Little do they know, you have me frozen in the friend's zone. Brrrr. It's so cold in the friend zone, but I will never know what it's like to be in the blazing haze zone. There is no blurring here. Well, over there where you sit watching me intently there is no blurring allowed, but these married men want to get with this piece of chocolate."

"How do you even know if they are married?"

"Wedding rings send out blinding light to my eyes."

"Michonne you are about to drip. Here's a napkin. Take it and hold it over your mouth after you wipe up what is going to be a mess." He teased.

"No. Watch this. This is what the tongue is designed to do." Michonne lapped up the melting cream with the tip of her tongue. She noticed it caused a reaction in Rick that made him flush a deeper pink in his cheek and along with his neck. She watched him swallow.

"There are children in this ice cream shop." He held Michonne's eye contact.

"And men with dirty minds. Now eat your ice cream in your bowl while I enjoy mine in this sugar cone."

"I can't look away."

"Then I hate to see what you will be like when I get to the cone, Grimes. The cone is my favorite part."

"I have no idea why I do this with you?"

"You don't?"

"No."

"How many on the Board of Director's other than the one's you occasional go and play golf with can you call up and say, "Hey, you want to get some Ice Cream? Or outside of work and do not include your kids and possibly your ex-wife."

"You-"

"How many, Rick?"

"I enjoy hanging out with you." Rick was almost inaudible in his response because he ensured that his mouth was instantly full of ice cream from his spoon.

Michonne waited.

"Just you."

"This isn't just let's have a cup of coffee and go our separate ways until Monday morning. After ice cream we leave here you are going to want to know what is across the street in that expensive art boutique that is featuring Heath and Aaron and-"

"Now that is you, Michonne. I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to notice."

"You got our invite?"

"Yes. And my checkbook."

"Good. Let me do all the talking."

"You always do the talking, Michonne."

"You are going to get a deal."

"I am Rich. I don't need a deal, and your crazy scheme is going to cause me to lose the painting I want."

"When we were Rollerblading at the park, I asked you if you trust me and you said, yes."

"Michonne, lick your ice cream it's dripping."

...

"Michonne...wake up. Michonne..." Rick climbed above Michonne. He hovered above her.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep." She turned from her side stare up into Rick's face. He was still perfect even though she knew all his flaws.

"Oh my God Michonne..." He kept himself straddled above her placing his weight on his left elbow using his right hand to wipe his falling tears.

"Un-blurring is so exhausting, Rick, I had to take a nap because all the scenarios that played in my head were very detailed. I will finish in a minute. Let me conclude my dream where my heart has healed in this version in my mind." Michonne moves to turn on her side, but Rick stops her. He keeps her on her back.

"I'm sorry, Michonne."

"I'm sorry too. I blurred when you weren't ready to blur or you never really wanted to blur. I should have waited or accepted the fact that you didn't want me in that way or the same way I wanted you. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you while you were drunk. I took advantage when you weren't your 100% self, and there is no one to blame but me for this. Just me. And I am miserable."

"I don't want to un-blur. I don't want you to un-blur from me, Michonne. I walk into my house, and it looks like a tornado has gone through, but then I realized what you said before New Year's Day that we are in a Whirlwind Romance. I was relieved to find you sleeping in my bed because then I realized it was the whirlwind that has my house looking the way it does."

"I am your whirlwind, Rick."

"Yes, Michonne. You are the only woman where I have adapted a language to describe what I wouldn't describe anyone else. You are my Whirlwind."

"You are Romance."

"Your whirlwind knows how to stir Romance."

"I want you. Just you."

You stealthily robbed me of my one possession, my heart, and if you leave me, Michonne you would be taking it with you."

"Are you making it official, Rick?"

"I want to blur with you, Michonne. From my lips to your Ears."

"This is our do-over in blurring, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now ask me?"

"Will you blur with me, Michonne Benton?"

"I had every variation in my head of how you were going to ask me to blur, but this is off the charts, Rick. I never thought of this as a scenario.

"You didn't answer, Michonne."

"Yes! I will blur with you, Mr. Richard Sinclaire Grimes."

"There is no smile more beautiful than yours Michonne."

"That's because I am about to blur you into oblivion."

Michonne found sparks in his deep, tender, sweet kisses that flickered and inflamed her body and mind. His touches were softly seeking to keep her as close to him as possible as he demonstrated his affection on every part of her body causing her to realize something was different in the way he loved her.

Rick became very vocal, where once he was less octave prone. Michonne was relishing what sounds he did make when she touched him and kissed him back.

"Kiss me there, Michonne. I love when you kiss me right there...Yes. Yes. Yeah, Michonne. Don't get Grime off just yet. Not yet, Michonne. I want you to put your leg over my shoulder... This is good. This, I want. You. You. Tell me how much you like this Michonne. Tell me."

She couldn't tell him. She was a wet mess. She had an orgasm on top of an orgasm. Rick was destroying her pussy walls that were quivering and on the brink of collapse after every stroke.

"Is this soaking wet pussy for me, Michonne?"

"Yes." Her voice was barely a whisper.

He finally came with a shiver and a tiny whimper.


	14. Conversion To Blur-ism

_"Sensitive people either love deeply or they regret deeply. There really is no middle ground because they live in passionate extremes."_  
 _― Shannon L. Alder_

* * *

I had no idea who the man initially was standing in the elevator from the 6th floor with facial hair, dark skin like Michonne's. He towered over me in comparison. He carried a few in-office yellow folders. I sized him up and noticed his name tag, Tyrese Jones. Mailroom. I was on my way down and out of the building to go and locate Michonne who still wasn't answering her phone nor text.

"Hello, Mr. Grimes."

He knew who I was.

"My sons love your moves in that video. They can't believe that I work in the same building with the very man that has billions of dollars and is cool. My young boys are amazed, ' _Like he doesn't have bodyguards when he is bodyguard rich?'._ I told my boys the day you put guard needed for CEO Rick Grimes, I am applying so I can get out of the mailroom." Tyrese chuckled.

"You don't like the mailroom?" Mr. Grimes asked coolly.

The elevator was stopping on each floor and Mr. Grimes shook his head at anyone that thought they were riding with him and Tyrese down to the first floor. They would have to wait for another elevator.

"No, sir. I mean wait-yes sir. I've been down in the mailroom for the last five years, and this is the first time I am about to share an elevator with you. Random. What are the odds? I was just throwing it out there. I am a single father with three boys to support." Tyrese stated nervously wondering if this was firing move that he only heard rumors about. Things he considered myths. Fables. Fibs.

"Where's their mother?" Rick asked. Michonne had always told him employees loved for their bosses to make nosey connections. Appear to care. Garner information.

"Being a Ho. Umm, I mean, she wanted to be free, and she is out there doing things freely."

"Sounds like my ex-wife. Not the Ho part but wanting to be free to do things freely." Rick corrected quickly. He got a snippet of this man's life. He needed to know how Michonne was factored and halt any mathematical equation that involved her.

"What are the odds we have something in common!" Tyrese exclaims.

"What were the odds of you being on the eighth floor assisting Michonne earlier today? It was brought to my attention that you helped Michonne pack her things from her desk earlier. Why?"

"She asked me to carry the box down for her, sir. Is there a problem?"

"Yes." Rick stopped the elevator from making it to the 1st floor. "Is that part of your job duties in the mailroom?"

"Is this even appropriate, how this conversation is taking place?"

"Highly inappropriate, but I am highly out of my friggin mind. How long have you and Michonne been dating?"

"What did she say?"

"I am asking you, How long and when did this shit start?"

"We went on one date. The chemistry was off because she is hella weird. Hella funny in a good way though. My boys love her, but I have to admit I really don't get her sense of humor. It's kind of like New Girl. Have you watched that show?"

"Can't say I have." Rick made a mental note to ask Michonne about whether or not he would like that show.

"Well, it's cute coming from the white chick Zooey Deschanel, but it's odd from a very sexy attractive black woman, like Michonne. You expect, Michonne to be a particular character but you realize midway in a conversation that she made a reference to Blue Pill Red Pill from Matrix, that she ain't like no around the way chick from the block where I am from, you get me? I don't mean to be racist or stereotype you, white people."

"I am really trying to follow along." Rick realized he needed Michonne to decipher what was just spoken to him from this tall seemingly gentle giant of a man who was supporting three boys on mailroom pay.

"I spent that whole first date with Michonne, trying to follow along but it was fucking draining. I don't get her. I don't get her at all. She only came down to the mailroom today to make sure I was okay with not continuing, and I was all right. It's been several weeks since we had even gone on that date where she was busy texting _you_ the whole time, to be honest."

"Where the hell was I?"

"I don't know, sir."

"A lot of texting indicates she was pissed off about something or-I was on a date too." Rick said more to himself.

"She wanted me to help her carry the brown box out. She said it was heavy with blur. Too heavy she claims, but it only had a few things based on the weight. Did she actually quit?"

"Just be glad I changed my mind from firing you." Rick pressed the button for the elevator to continue.

"Fired?"

When the elevator opened two security guards were waiting to escort Tyrese out of the building only stepping aside for Rick Grimes.

"I changed my mind, he's not fired. Michonne Benton is and will always be allowed back in this building regardless of policy."

...

 _ **Michonne:**_ Aren't you suppose to be on a date, Grimes?

 _ **Mr. Grimes**_ : I was checking up on you.

 _ **Michonne:**_ Concentrate on your date.

 ** _Mr. Grimes_ :** Dinner Theater. Patsy Cline. I have already done this with you.

 _ **Michonne:**_ You need to speak up. You should had a different idea.

 **Mr. Grimes:** You always have ideas.

 _ **Michonne:**_ I am not giving you any to make your date with her a good date.

 _ **Mr. Grimes**_ : I wasn't asking.

 _ **Michonne:**_ Good.

 _ **Mr. Grimes:**_ What are you doing?

 _ **Michonne:** _ At the movies.

 _ **Mr. Grimes:**_ Really where are you?

 _ **Michonne:**_ In bed waiting for you. Which one are you most likely to believe?

 _ **Mr. Grimes:**_ I believe you are waiting for me.

 _ **Michonne:**_ Actually at the movies

 _ **Mr. Grimes:**_ You don't go to the movies. You don't go alone. You told me that. You have a whole story about why you don't.

 _ **Michonne:**_ I am at the movies.

 _ **Mr. Grimes:**_ Who are you with?

 _ **Michonne:** _ Rules on the screen says I must turn my phone off so not disturb anyone from their viewing pleasures. I bet your date doesn't even know you've already had a good time at Patsy Cline and you are bored out of your mind right about now wishing it was me you were with instead of her. :))

 _ **Mr. Grimes:** _ I am not bored. She's just boring. I have no idea why I am doing this.

 _ **Mr. Grimes**_ : She's complained about the food.

 _ **Mr. Grimes:**_ She only ordered a salad and picked over everything.

 **Mr. Grimes:** What did you say about women and salads?

...

"I have to tell my kids about us." Rick hung the picture back up in the foyer that Michonne had taken down earlier.

"Yeah?" Michonne stood back to make sure it wasn't crooked. She was dressed in Rick's Blue oversized Pajama top. She was helping place everything back to blur status. A few hours ago made everything different between them. Rick had officially asked Michonne to basically be in a relationship. He was fully committed to their blurring the lines from work to we are in an actual relationship.

"Yeah." He turned for Michonne's approval that the picture didn't need any additional adjusting. It didn't. He followed her throughout the house.

"I have them this weekend, and I think I will tell them at dinner."

"You want me there?" Michonne asked.

"Where else were you going to be Michonne?" Rick was curious.

"Nowhere else." Michonne beamed.

"I want you to move in."

"What?" Michonne was startled.

"I want you to share my bed every night." Rick put it all out there. He had known Michonne for three years, sexually a month and he never felt strongly about anyone in his life as he did his dreadlock beauty that made him complete putty in her hands.

"Okay." Michonne was in agreement.

"I want to ride to work together and leave together." He was hoping he wasn't coming off too clingy. He enjoyed Michonne. He wanted to overdose and then gradually come to his senses. Rick knew it was saying a lot about him by stating because to ask made him feel even more vulnerable if she didn't agree.

"Rick, I've quit. I quit my job at GO Stop earlier today."

"You need some time off or more, I'm okay with it. I'm willing to give you that, Michonne."

"I actually did quit. Did you not go down to HR and ask?

"Why would you quit? Please tell me."

"I was offered Operations and Finance in San Diego. It was an offer from you because you trust me that much with your company. But it confused me that you would want me to go to San Diego. I read that as I want to break up. Plus the way you were acting and remaining at level 10. I feel to deeply about you, Rick and it would have meant more if you were there asking me to take the position. Not some random person from the Board to break up with me. I quit. I quit you. I quit Personal Assisting you and it wore me out. I don't know how to play the angry black woman and all that to say, I didn't take the position because I am NOT going to San Diego."

"What position do you want, Michonne?"

"Operations and Finance where ever you are and I understand that it would be Highly Inappropriate for me to remain your Personal Assistant now that you are an Internet Sensation as we speak 5mil views."

"You will take Operations and Finance. It will be Virtual for you here in Georgia, okay. I will put my John Hancock on it."

"I really want Operations and Finance, Rick."

"That's what was offered to you, Michonne." Rick noticed that the inflection was different. Oddly different. It wasn't lost on him.

"I want the very personal level of Operations and Finance, Rick." Michonne clarified.

"I have no idea what Illuminati level you think I have at GO Stop, but you are weird, Michonne." Rick eyed her as he made way to the kitchen to make their dinner. He handed her the vegetables once she dried her hands to chop while he handled the boneless skinless chicken breast for their stir-fry.

"I want the very personal level of Operations and Finance, Rick." Michonne slowly enunciated. "What's weird?" She handed him the wok.

"I will let them know you have indeed accepted the position." Rick shook his head exasperated. "I am glad you know how to turn that thing that you do with me off when you are in the office with the other's. I really don't like people knowing how quirky you are and I am awaiting the details of what transpired when you turned down the offer. I will tell them it was a miscommunication. Only you and I need to know certain things have different meanings. I want them to focus on the fact you get things done and the shit is correct, Michonne." Rick watched Michonne concentrate cutting the onions and peppers while he rinsed the meat just the way Michonne wanted the meat washed before cooking.

"So you are aware there is a different meaning?"

"I just officially converted to blur-ism. Anything else could possibly kill me, Michonne."

"Ugh, you don't get me." Michonne chopped faster.

"Baby steps, Michonne. Baby steps."

...


	15. Those Were Freckles

_"Love, like everything else in life, should be a discovery, an adventure, and like most adventures, you don't know you're having one until you're right in the middle of it."_  
 _― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly_

* * *

"What is today, Michonne?" Mr. Grimes sat back in his office chair taking in the sight of Carol's Personal Assistant who placed his Starbucks coffee on his desk.

"Cartoon, Monday." Michonne stepped back three paces from the front of his desk to give him an adequate view of her attire.

"Why?"

"Boost employee, Morale." Michonne shrugged.

"Was your participation, required?" Mr. Grimes asked.

"I am not the only one on the eighth floor dressed, Mr. Grimes. Check out Carol."

"Who in the world is Carol suppose to be in that excessively long red wig and tight red dress?"

"I am not telling. I am not giving Carol an advantage over me."

"Will this be every, Monday?"

"Just this Monday."

"Who came up with this idea?"

"A manager on the 4th floor. He got approval from someone on the 5th floor that gave him the go ahead."

"Can you find out who that person was and have him scheduled in my office. I don't care where you have to squeeze him. I want him squeezed."

"Squeeze. You expect me to _squeeze_ the fifth-floor person? Squeeze?" Michonne wanted to clarify with Mr. Grimes wording of what he was proposing for her to do versus actual squeezing.

"I want him in my office for a meeting, and I don't care where you find a gap. Is that better?"

"I will organize that into your schedule, Mr. Grimes."

"Good." Mr. Grimes thought that was the end and Michonne would walk out to harass someone else. She continued to stand there, and he continued to stare in confused awe.

"No one seems to know who I am and I am trying to win," Michonne admitted.

"There is more to this obvious workplace distraction?" Mr. Grimes asked completely perplexed on where he was being led by Carol's Personal Assistant.

"You have to get enough people that can guess what Cartoon you represent and or character, and you win a box of Chocolate Kit Kats."

"It looks to me you were not trying to win." Mr. Grimes surmised.

"You too?"

"What do you mean- _me too_?"

"Noah doesn't know who I am either and I only have one person on this paper that has it right, and I think it is because I told her in advance so we wouldn't duplicate."

"What you have done cannot be duplicated, Michonne."

"I will take that as a compliment."

"I'm not sure if you should have, Michonne."

"Are you going to guess?" Michonne handed over the paper that she wanted to write his guess and put in the hat that she was carrying around.

"I have to agree with Noah, and I have no idea who in the heck he is, but I have to agree with him. Smart guy."

"He works at Starbucks where I get your coffee, every morning."

"You get your own coffee, Michonne. You just so happen to bring a cup for me."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Correct me as if someone is listening in? It's just you and me in your office. You really think your office is being bugged?"

"You have to be corrected, Michonne. The way you speak about certain things can lead to how you speak outside the office. I am not trying to have anyone think anything is happening between us."

"One day I want to visit where you live," Michonne remarked.

"You've been to where I live, plenty of times Michonne."

"The place where you sleep in your brain where the neon light stays flashing, frequently the word _Denial_."

"What?"

"I need you to guess, who I am."

"I guess whatever Noah guessed."

"He said I look like a cracked out Medusa." Michonne wondered if she should have figured out a way to put her Dreads in the small red wig instead of trying to put her own hair in two pigtails.

Mr. Grimes was silent. He took the words and tried to gather the meaning and placing them in proper context. He could only smile and fight the rumble of laughter that was threatening to burst forth.

"You are smiling as if you are in agreement with Noah." Michonne placed her hands in on her hips.

"I had no words to describe you Michonne. He seemed better suited since he does not work here. To repeat exactly what he said would have been entirely inappropriate."

"I can't believe this isn't obvious." Michonne twirled in a circle.

"Coming in the building today, I saw a Blue Papa Smurf, Fred Flintstone and I think a Fat Albert. For the love of Candy Crush, I have no idea who you represent."

"It is part of your era. How old are you by the way?"

"Workplace violation 100 you probably have broken since you have been employed here."

Michonne ignored Mr. Grimes exaggerations. "Not saying you are that much older than me, but I am entirely sure you had come across this freckled character on your TV screen when you were a kid. Look at my legs." Michonne was hoping the suggestion would jog his memory. She wondered.

"I will not be accused of looking at any of your body parts, Michonne."

"Look at my face." Michonne wore a huge smile showing all her brilliant white teeth.

"Those are actually supposed to be freckles?" Mr. Grimes marveled.

"Yes."

"Red?"

"What did you think they were?"

"Measles."

"This Friday, you will have your kids?" Michonne was flustered.

"Yes." Mr. Grimes confirmed. "We have to come up with another movie until they fall asleep."

"Before you fall asleep." Michonne corrected.

"If you keep sitting closer to me and playing with my friggin nose, I have no choice but to stay awake to make sure you behave yourself."

"I'm sitting closer to you?"

"Yes."

"On that long couch?"

"Yes."

"You are the one that gets up to grab this or that from the kitchen, Grimes. I am still sitting in the same position. You place yourself two or more inches closer to me."

"You are the one that-"

"You better have the buttery popcorn this time and Kettle corn."

"I know. I know it's my turn to supply." Mr. Grimes leaned forward with his elbows on his desk. "Do you think we could watch whatever it is that you are representing?"

"Yes. We are going to watch Pippi Longstocking." Michonne declared before abruptly turning her back on the man who would have never guessed in a million years that she was Pippi Longstocking.

The adult costume and all its bright colors dimmed when his eyes couldn't help take in the curve of her ass and the complete visibility of the back of her smooth looking chocolate thighs. He couldn't look away.  
...

It was after hours. I was still at my desk finalizing the financials for the fiscal quarter end to send to Mr. Grimes who had left two hours ago. Carol had departed minutes later still dressed as Jessica Rabbit. She wanted to keep up the appearance that after Mr. Grimes had left, it was her and I working into the night.

If Mr. Grimes ever knew it to be untrue, he knew it then when he came back with a small box that was nicely gift wrapped. I pretended not to notice. I wondered who it was for and which floor was his indiscretion located. Mr. Grimes would never entertain anyone on the 5th floor or lower. I realized whomever he was dating must be on the eighth floor.

I just couldn't imagine him going out of his way to being that inappropriate with the young, vibrant blonde cafeteria cashier named Beth. I would always have to tell her to close her mouth. Mr. Grimes started venturing into the Cafeteria more often and sitting with me once he scanned to find my location. I figured it may be her enticing him to buy more Jell-O than normal.

"You haven't retired that costume, Michonne?"

"Just about."

I had a facial wipe, and I placed the handheld mirror back down on my desk when I realized he was watching me clean off the dotted on freckles from my face. Red dye quickly rubbed away I thought. I didn't think to look in the mirror to make sure they were all gone.

"Everything is complete for your meeting in the morning. What are you doing back here?" I asked.

"Did you win?"

"No. I loved Pippi Longstocking. I refuse to believe I was the only one who watched as a kid, in a building that houses how many employees?"

"Do you really want an answer?"

"I think I should have had a red wig. The one that came with the costume was too small."

" _You_ in a red wig?"

"I see you are amused."

"I am highly amused."

"Next time, I was thinking..."

"There won't be a next time, Michonne. My official warning to you and in the morning to everyone else."

"You're warning me while handing me a gift?"

"I want to keep your Morale up. Do you have another one of those cloths?"

I love gifts. I love everything about opening a package and discovering what could be waiting inside. It was very difficult to conceal my excitement. I gave him a cloth. I wasn't concerned why he wanted one. He was on the side of my desk where I sat. He had taken Carols chair. He was again in my personal space as he moved in close.

"What are you doing, Mr. Grimes?" I froze.

"What do you mean what am I doing? This is not happening. This has not occurred. Any talk of it, Michonne I will deny."

"I would never tell a soul. You know that."

"You will remind me of this, and I plan to deny this has ever happened, Michonne."

I felt that it was his roundabout way to tell me he trusts me on a different level. We _were_ in the infancy of our code talk. I could have been wrong but my intuition and Spidey senses never led me astray.

I will always remember that moment at my desk with him during after hours where he wiped the red hues from my face that lit naturally on his own cheeks and throat. We had an unspoken understanding. It was the night he gave me my consolation prize. Two Chocolate Kit Kat Bars. One was for him and the other for me. We were officially friends. I was Friend Zoned.


	16. Badass

_If you had my love  
_ _And I gave you all my trust_  
 _Would you comfort me?_  
 _And if somehow you knew_  
 _That your love would be untrue_  
 _Would you lie to me?_

 _Drake Teenage Fever_

* * *

Music from someone's headphones was so loud I could actually hear the music and the lyrics.

I never thought I would step on the city bus again and here I was stepping off of one _again_ with Michonne in the lead.

The thought of public transportation and having a set place to stand at a particular time, rain or shine, made me appreciate where I stood in life even more. The annoyances of being a bus rider such as miss that bus one would have to wait for the next or worst yet, a bus rider is at the mercy of traffic or slow boarding bus riders who have a bike or wheelchair. I never thought I would step on the city bus again and here I was stepping off of one onto the sidewalk, in the worst part of the city that Michonne refused to drive her Mercedes. She insisted my Bentley was begging for trouble. Incognito was the goal.

"I forgot to check your wrist." Michonne murmured.

"What?"

"Which watch do you have on?" Michonne asked me.

"Citizen." I kept my hands stuffed in my front pockets keeping pace with Michonne on the sidewalk.

"Good. It will protect us. Gives us the right amount of shield."

"Shield?"

"You look regular. Maybe like a Deputy. They will think twice approaching." Michonne eyed the group of young males in front of the liquor store. They all had on T-shirts with the words Saviour and We are Negan.

"And you?"

"I look like I am around here. My dreads keep me connected to the community."

"Your hair?"

"My skin color too." Michonne quipped.

"A bullet doesn't discriminate, Michonne."

"Wouldn't matter what neighborhood we were in. Guns everywhere. A Rolex in this neighborhood-very slim unless you're making a visit across the street to Jimmy's Pawn Shop and that is where your watch would have found it's self if you wore it."

"I didn't wear it. I have on the Citizen."

I really liked my Citizen, even if it wasn't worthy of being taken from me by force, it was priceless to me. More valuable than any Rolex that I owned, I thought to myself.

"Good. I would kick ass if anyone come for you and try to take it."

I couldn't respond to Michonne because we were upon them. They were sizing us up. The group of teens stepped aside and allowed us to pass to get to our eventual destination. It had to be the equivalent of the parting of the red sea.

Michonne walks with a purpose. The look on her face indicated to not fuck with her and they didn't fuck with her. It was enough to shield us both. I realized that Michonne is a Badass. She reminded me in that moment of the woman on the Walking Dead, I have no idea why Tyrese thought she was more like New Girl. Well, high level New Girl.

"You can't bullshit a bullshitter." Michonne took note of the address and the GPS indicating that we had arrived on foot to the location of where the twins lived in a worn down home that from the outside was badly in need of repairs.

"You're a bullshitter Michonne?" Rick was following beside Michonne.

"I spent over Two years in the chilly friend zone. Made like it was a nice cozy place. I think I've proven I am the Queen of dealing, handling and speaking high-level crap. What do you say, Rick?"

"I believe you are never going to get over the friend zone until I make some type of move. I've no idea what I need to obliterate it from your memory or keep us from constantly going down memory lane about it."

"I shouldn't have to hint, but I have to be subtle with you because you can't handle the overt or you will go running to the hills."

"I'm not running anymore, Michonne. We have made this thing between us official. Now, what's the plan?"

"I want you to listen. I will point things out. It's relevant." They stood on the front steps of the home where the twins lived with their grandmother.

"So my plan is not a good one?" Rick asked. My plan was to drive and pick up the girls.

"You have two kids, Rick. You make it seem that you have gone to the pound and found two cute puppies that your children will just adore because you adore them."

"Don't you adore them?"

"Are they for me?" Michonne asked. "I am on birth control for a reason, unless you are finally understanding I am the only one _you_ _can_ offer the _real_ Operations and Finance position to, so, tell me now, Rick-tell me to stop holding my breath so my heart can stop skipping beats."

"Again, I have no idea what you are asking me to ask you. I am certainly not telling you to stop taking your birth control, Michonne. Please let me know ahead of time that we are at the rite of passage in this ritual of blurring that you are off of Birth Control. I would like to know what's being planned when it's involving me creating little mini you and me. Tell me now, _You_ don't want take the twins shopping."

I was confused by my very own motives and what I just spoke into Michonne's skewed imagination's ability to twist me into an excited knot of anticipation to _what's next for us_.

"So this is how we are going to have this conversation?" Michonne responded somberly.

"I am ready for you to intrude on my thoughts, Michonne." Rick conceded.

"You needed me to stomp all over them if you were thinking whatever it was that you were thinking. You needed me hovering, Rick. I could have nipped this real quick." Michonne snapped her fingers. "I have no idea if this is really about shopping or something more."

"You don't like the twins?"

"I didn't say that. I didn't say that at all. Listen. Those two girls come with more baggage. Not sure what kind. I mean their Dad is in prison. Mother is dead. I need to open up their suitcases-metaphorically speaking and see what is inside. I need to see how things are packed and wrapped. We don't have time for mental issues when you already consider me the nuttiest person you have ever come across. I can't handle anyone that has to go to counseling every Monday and Friday."

"I would ask you why Monday and Friday..."

"Boo work and Yay Party on the couch. Add counseling to those days it's just Boo Boo."

"I should have had you intrude on my thoughts in the very beginning."

"Yes, you don't know if they are little fire starters, cutters, have sexual issues or binge eaters or-"

"Fire starters? They are only five years old, Michonne."

"Angel faced arsonist. Does that sound better?"

"You want me to renege?" I asked. I wanted to cut to the chase instead of having a full on debate in front of the house, where the twins lived. I wanted to know where Michonne stood about children. Not just my children. Children in general.

"NO. I am saying a little bit of paranoia is healthy. Out of Everything I just said you didn't get that?" Michonne tilted her head to the side. "Why are you staring at me like that? We have already blurred."

...  
 _If you had my love_  
 _And I gave you all my trust_  
 _Would you comfort me?_  
 _And if somehow you knew_  
 _That your love would be untrue_  
 _Would you lie to me?_  
 _If you had my love..._  
 _Drake Teenage Fever_

...

"You are attracted to her."

"I am not." Rick denied the accusation.

"Yes. You are." Jessie insisted.

"I am not."

"Then fire her."

"What?"

"She has been nothing but rude to me, Richard. Ever since the incident with Judith and your son Carl getting caught in a riptide."

"Stop chastising her," Rick whispered as he lit up another cigarette.

"See that is what I am talking about. I am your girlfriend, but you defend, Michonne. First name basis, huh? I have never heard her call you by your first name, but it's Michonne this and Michonne that. Hey, kids check to see if Michonne may want to tag along with us to the to the Coral Reefs. You are underhandedly asking her out through your children. Do you realize that?"

"I am to just leave without offering her to join?"

"What do you think, Richard?"

Rick took a long drag from his cigarette with no response to Jessie's question.

"Are you serious?" Jessie asked when she realizes he wasn't going to answer her. She turned to an observation of his behavior, "Here's one that I hear more often the word, 'No Jessie, I am going to just sit back on the boat and hang out with Michonne, you go on ahead and take your kids to the movies, Jessie.'"

"There was going to be a problem if you hadn't taken your kids to the movies when you had, Jessie. Lori will not allow you access to Carl and Judith without me chained to their ankle and Michonne overseeing it being done. I didn't want to go see that movie. I asked Michonne if I would like that type of movie and she said, no."

"Michonne knows your likes and dislikes when it comes to Movies."

"Listen, Lori was coming for you and Michonne was going to egg it on. I am messing up with us, I know that. I understand it, and I am aware of my behavior. I don't need you to point it out like it is something sordid going on between Michonne and me. Nothing is going on. I trust her. She's good at spotting time wasters and time management is her thing. I feel she is right again about time wasted."

"What?"

"This-"

"I've apologized to Lori. I have no idea how to make things right with Michonne, and I need you to understand that you need to get rid of her for-"

"Why would you think Michonne was the Nanny, Jessie?" Rick was exasperated. He was tired, but he gathered up enough energy when he expelled the smoke from his lips to ask, "Why would you bring it upon yourself to introduce Michonne to Lori's group of colleagues as such when it is Bullshit? Michonne is not my kid's fucking Nanny, and I want you to stop with the shit. I know it's your silly way to try and demean her and I am amazed at her verbal restraint with you."

"Lori has a Nanny. When she talks about her Nanny is that demeaning?" Jessie's eyes widen with the look of mock innocence.

"Michonne is NOT my kid's nanny, and no it isn't demeaning if Michonne was actually a fucking Nanny. She fucking works for me. She works for GO Stop. Michonne is an undercover Executive Assistant, and even that Title is beneath her." Rick took another deep drag of his cigarette before exhaling.

"Why is she here with us?"

"Somehow she is a buffer between you and Lori's actual Nanny and Lori herself. Lori does not like you. That is who you should have focused on, Jessie, building or mending a relationship with the mother of my children. Why doesn't Lori like you should matter more than wondering why or caring if Michonne would let you drown in a Riptide."

"So is this what family vacations will consist of or possibly look like?"

" _If-_ I were to proceed with marrying you? Yes, if you haven't a clue how to behave like an adult."

The word IF wasn't lost on Jessie. She was going to gloss over it like it wasn't said or emphasized in such a way that indicated he was soon to break up with her.

"Okay. I'm sorry, Richard. I'm just used to having a nanny around for the kids and Lori won't allow my kids to use her Nanny and I am in between interviewing for a Nanny. I'm surprised you don't have one for yourself when you have your kids, our kids."

"I don't, and I will reiterate, Michonne is not the caretaker of your Children either."

"We will certainly have a Nanny shortly." Jessie declared.

"No, we won't."

"What do you mean?"

"What would be the reason for a nanny in your circumstance, Jessie?" Rick dabbed out the cigarette in the ashtray next to him on the side table where they sat outside on the balcony of his Summer beach house.

"I've always had Nannies for Sam, and Ron."

"Why? You don't work. Lori is a Corporate Lawyer and her new boyfriend Shane handles hedge funds. I have no idea why you would need a Nanny once we are married. I want an actively present wife with my children and any future children, Jessie. I plan to help and be there active when I can and as much as possible."

"Your children spend a lot of time with your Personal Assistant. _If_ they had a choice, they would prefer her than me. It wouldn't be a problem if she were to back off." Jessie tried again to reason with her fiancee.

"Back off? That woman in there sitting playing chutes and ladder with my kids while yours is doing only God knows what, _likes_ to assist where ever she wants. She does it because as a friend, she knows I am or will come up short based on a long drawn out Friday night where I am still at the office. I count on her for things like that. She has something planned for me tonight that I am looking forward to, do you want to know why Jessie?"

"I'm quite sure you will tell me."

"For once in my life, I met someone that is _Fun_. I can honestly say I _would_ _choose_ _her_ over you."

"I've sent invitations out, you are out of luck, Richard. Fucking liar. I knew you were attracted to her." Jessie doused him with her glass of ice water.

Rick was stunned with what he just said into the atmosphere. The words just fell from his lips, and his heart and brain finally caught up with each other, and he wasn't sure which place it came from that exposed him for the first time.

...

"No, Bahamas." Andrea sighed.

She stood outside of Ricks home. He did not expect her. He didn't offer for her to come inside because he was on his way out with his phone clasped in his hands looking angst.

"Safe to say we aren't going to the Christmas Party together?" Andrea asked.

She wanted to ask when did he take up smoking. She detested smokers. She watched him pace in front of his garage as she leaned against his Bentley.

"Can you cut me some slack?"

"That's what I've been doing, Rick."

"I want to slow this down." He ran his figures through his hair in frustration. The suit he wore was in pristine condition except for his tie that was loose around his neck.

"We have already been going slow, Rick, very slow, too slow. I don't want to go slower than this. I don't. I rather just stop. Halt. If you need to get your act together, I understand. If I am not the one for you, I understand that but don't bullshit yourself and try to convince everyone around you that you are not attracted to Carol's Personal Assistant."

"What?"

"You and she make sense." Andrea eyed Rick who appeared confused and frustrated. He was smoking. She did not like smokers, and she didn't know he smoked and this wasn't his first time.

"Shit."

"What are you struggling with?" Andrea honestly wanted to know. She cared. She wanted to be a friend, an ear.

"You both work for me." Rick admitted. He didn't go into details that Michonne changed her mind and wasn't going to the Christmas Party. He needed her as his designated driver, and he wasn't sure how long it was going to take to get Michonne to put on her sexier than last year dress for this year Office Christmas Party. They were going to be late.

"That's not it, Rick. I've worked for you for eight years. I've had a crush on you for most of those eight years. Me, a grown woman feeling like a teenager around you. Seeking you out every chance I had around the building. I'm okay stepping back, stepping aside. I met someone new last night anyway." Andrea smirked.

"I'm sorry, Andrea."

"Don't be, Rick."

"I don't normally do this."

"Anyone that knows you, knows you don't. See, no tears. No scene. I'm okay. I pursued you. I will keep it between us. I won't let a soul know that the way to Grimes is when he's loaded at the Christmas Party or New Year's Eve."

Rick relaxed and leaned against his Bentley next to Andrea who bumped her shoulder into his hoping that he would lighten up. Everything was okay. No hard feelings.

"I'm that easy?" Rick asked.

"I wish. Twice a year is your weak spots. Michonne has somehow found a significant loophole outside those times." Andrea teased.

"Yeah. I don't need anyone else knowing about my Achilles Heel."

"So what do you plan to do about this thing you got for Michonne?"

"Is it really that obvious?"

"Sometimes your interaction leaves room to speculate."

"I can't get her to conform to office policies."

"It's your reaction, Rick. You look at her as if she is the only person in the room. You notice no one else."

...


	17. 10K Dollar Birkin

_"I finally know the difference between pleasing and loving, obeying and respecting. It has taken me so many years to be okay with being different, and with being this alive, this intense. (xxvi)"_  
 _― Eve Ensler, I am an Emotional Creature _

* * *

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm not sure where to begin."

Something was weighing heavy on Rick. We were living together for a few months, and most of that time I spent in San Diego. It wasn't as virtual as we thought. He was uptight. Something about his demeanor reminded me of when we had that big issue in London, Kensington.

I had just finished unpacking. I showered and put on my favorite attire when I was home with him, his blue pajama top. I left San Diego to be completely immersed in all things, Rick.

"How was your flight?" Rick asked me. His back still facing me. I had taken an Uber to surprise him that I was back and it seemed that my surprise had fallen flat.

"Good." I continued to stare at the back of his head as he stood in front of his fancy stainless steel stove with the blue knobs.

"I could have picked you up from the airport, Michonne."

"I know you could have, but I wanted to surprise you."

He was having a moment and I had to let him have it.

"I should have dinner ready in a few."

"I will set the table." I made no move for the cabinets where the plates were behind the glass paneled doors.

"I will have my kids, this weekend."

"I can't wait to show them the tickets."

"You have tickets?"

"Yes. I do. I acquired them."

"I thought it was sold out."

"I repeat, I acquired them."

"They'll like that."

"You are not going to ask me how?"

"You have them. All that matters right?" He slightly turns to show just the side of his face.

"Rick, stop."

"I can't stop Michonne. I'm cooking. I'm trying to hold it together."

I didn't make any remark to his last sentence. I waited and realize that I would have to nudge.

"What is going on here?"

"I missed you."

"Do you want me to put everything in reverse and we could have started with that?"

"Lori cheated on me. She did it while she was away. She was always away. She found reasons to be away and eventually she stayed away. I didn't realize she was having an affair. I didn't realize how unhappy she was and that she needed someone to tell her she was beautiful. Make her feel beautiful. She wanted fun. Lori wanted spontaneity, and everything was my fault that I didn't get it nor understand what she needed. What she needed she found elsewhere. I had to take a leave of absence to take care of the kids who were much younger at the time, or I was going to drive myself to drown further in my work. We agreed to divorce. Amicably came a couple of years later. I dated a few people, all career oriented. Women who had their shit together like you but not like you in any way whatsoever. Met, Jessie after a New Years Eve party and I thought maybe that's what I needed, I need a woman who will be dependent on me. A woman who stays home take care of the kids and any future kids to only realize she couldn't even handle that without outside assistance. Add the danger my own children were in left in her care, I had to rethink things. Constantly having to re-think why I rather be with you than the others to the point I just wanted to be with you. I stop asking people out. I ceased accepting invitations because it would interfere with Movie Night or whatever else you had planned for us." Rick moved the skillet off of the flames before he continued.

"On the Walking Dead, I wanted that. I thought that was what we were going to have."

"Zombies?"

"My Deputy to your Deputy. We go to work together. Leave together. Come home. Here. Be here together like we usually are, you know on the couch, or in the bed. You and me until we at least tire of each other. It hasn't happened consistently since you stopped being my Personal Assistant. I think of all the time I wasted on keeping you at arm's length when I could have taken all those opportunities-"

"I would have never guessed there was this side to you, Rick."

"You are good at your job. You are excellent for the role of Operation and Finance Manager. No better person but I still want to demote you back to Personal Assistant."

"We can't go backwards, Rick. Are we working our way to the position I've hinted about?"

"The position you have been hinting about comes with no breathing room. You will likely suffocate."

"You have no idea what breathing apparatus I plan to use. Deep sea diving. Tell me the date so I can be prepared."

"Michonne, where's the element of surprise in that?"

"So if you fall to your knees it could actually mean you are praying?"

"Or kneeling to the most beautiful black goddess."

"I think you are going to get a yes yes, yes and a oh hell yeah baby."

"I need to know how quickly can we take this to the bedroom?"

"Who says we need to take this to the bedroom?"

Rick turned the Blue knob to off and stepped closer to me as I remained in the same spot when I had first entered the kitchen.

"I missed you."

"I missed you."

I ran my fingers through his hair as he leaned down the few inches for our lips to meet for a tender kiss that soon became passionate and fiery.

I knew what his insecurity tasted like and his confidence.

...

"You think I am going to turn down a ten thousand dollar bag? You are out of your mind, Mr. Grimes."

"To take it implies-"

"I am mighty grateful."

"I bought you two bags. You don't need his."

"Are we really having this conversation?"

"I guess we are."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"It is a week before Thanksgiving in the United States. It is precisely 9 pm in Kensington, London. I've been your Personal Assistant for over 2 years."

"London, South Kensington. 85 Old Brompton Rd to be exact, Michonne. Outside of Christie's."

"You will have a memory of this?"

"Yes."

"I want you to think carefully about this, Mr. Grimes." Michonne held on to the one box from the stranger while Mr. Grimes had held her two boxed purses and the Rolex which was his original reason for going to Christies. They were standing on the sidewalk trying to not create a scene.

"I am. I have for awhile, and I want to understand."

"Are you ready to blur?"

"What does blurring have to do with you accepting a 10 thousand dollar bag from a stranger?"

"He said I was beautiful."

"Is that all that it takes?"

"He asked me how is it I don't own a Birkin."

"Where was I when all this conversation was taking place?"

"OOh ahing over a Rolex, sir."

"I had already purchased you an eight thousand dollar purse. Your choice. He put me in a position to buy you an even more expensive bag to show him that it wasn't the price that was prohibiting me."

"It wasn't the price for sure." Michonne agreed.

"I had to buy you a 50k dollar bag for him to think twice about taking you home with him. I shouldn't have to tell you what the 10k dollar bag implied, Michonne."

"I _live_ to know what the 50k dollar bag shouted from the rooftops, Mr. Grimes."

"You and I have a problem if you don't take that bag back inside."

"Did we blur and it was so damn good I missed it?"

"What does blurring have to do with you, me, and the stranger giving you a bag?"

"Well, I am a single woman, and if you were my man-in the way I shouldn't have to define to you, I wouldn't have been inclined to accept his gift. Are you my man, Mr. Grimes?"

"Fucking keep the bag, Michonne."

"What?"

Mr. Grimes stepped into the taxi and left Michonne standing there in front of Christie's. He was pissed.

Michonne stood stunned outside Christies with the saleswoman named Agnes smiling in the doorway motioning for her to comeback inside with the boxed handbag before it began to rain.

...

"He listens to you." Carol seemed to say out of the blue.

"I finished the graph," Michonne replied not looking away from her computer.

"You've gotten him to loosen up."

"He's going to expect you to have those file documents in his inbox, Carol within the next-"

"We thank you. You have been here less than two and a half years, and we have more changes-Good changes."

"The numbers just have to add up."

"It's not just the numbers, Michonne. You helped facilitate getting rid of that Fiancée of his."

"I had nothing to do with that." Michonne denied.

"It's amazing to watch him in denial but you-"

"I am not in denial. I don't break up happy homes. I don't facilitate it either."

"You helped him steer clear from that train-wreck Thursdays. If you hadn't noticed, I would not be here. I could not be here when she was here. She was unbearable. She tried to have me fired a couple of times. I almost quit. The reason why I thought Mr. Grimes had HR bring in another person. You, Michonne. I couldn't work, Thursdays."

"I alway had her on mute. I noticed her mouth moving, but I didn't hear a sound."

"I've never been asked to go on trips with Mr. Grimes."

"Business trips." Michonne corrected.

"Do you have any pictures of this business trip?" Carol was curious about what transpired to have the black beautiful work of art propped on Michonne's desk.

"Why would I take pictures, it was just business as usual?" Michonne had pictures. Plenty of pictures of her and Mr. Grimes in various angles with or without his children. He had pictures of her in various angles with or without his children on his phone. It wasn't shared with anyone nor discussed. Just stand back, Rick. Stand back, Michonne.

"How many times have you been to Europe?"

"I've been twice to the continent. Once with Mr. Grimes and the other time with College friends." Michonne wasn't about to disclose the other times with Mr. Grimes family nor the specifics. She's been to Europe and her passport would indicate she has travelled before Grime, during Grimes and will after Grimes.

"Oh, I guess pictures wouldn't be as fascinating when you have a 2012 Crocodile Birkin and can place it right in front for everyone to see." Carol addressed the elephant in the room boldly and then the rider of the elephant stood in his office doorway.

Mr. Grimes stood in the doorway, frozen. His eyes transfixed on the bag. The bag that he didn't mean to buy but he was pressed into a situation where he wasn't going to be outdone by a millionaire, not when his worth was measured in the billions or was he trying to impress Michonne?

"Michonne can I see you in my office?"

"You have a meeting on the 6th floor in four minutes." Michonne wasn't going into his office. He left her in the taxi that was meant for the both of them. Her tic for tack was not complying, willful defiance.

"Carol can you give us two minutes?"

"Oh certainly, I can." Carol's amusement was on full display as she remained seated. Carol loved fireworks even if the two people that were causing them refused to acknowledge sparks were firing off.

"Carol?"

"I am at my desk at work. Where would you like me to go where I can still be considered on the clock, Mr. Grimes?" Carol asked eyes wide that she would literally need to remove herself from witnessing what everyone was gossiping about.

"I have officially placed you in charge of decorating and the stocking of the open bar for the Christmas Party that is in a matter of a few weeks. Please...Go."

Mr. Grimes and Michonne watched as Carol made a bee-line to the decorating hell hole located in the basement. Carol loved to decorate for the holidays. Mr. Grimes didn't have to tell her twice.

"You made that obvious." Rick stated to Michonne. He was referring to the purse.

"Was about to say the same to you." Michonne quipped back. She was referring to having Carol leave as if they had something only the two could be privy to.

"I have a feeling you have some nice purses in your closet, Michonne. I don't know first hand but I will take a wild guess that you do."

"Nothing as beautiful as this."

"I have a feeling you may have failed to insure that bag. You don't have to do it with GO Stop of course. I am not suggesting you get a personal articles policy from the very company you work for but I am suggesting that if you are going to carry it around like it is one of your nice bags that you _should_ _have_ carried to work and you _would_ _have_ normally carried to work-"

"I returned the 10k dollar bag."

"I know. Agnes called and told me that night. Thank you."

"Just thank you?"

"I was being an ass, a jerk and I am sorry."

"You were and I am still confused by it."

"Me too."

"We are going to watch Gone Girl."

"Gone Girl?"

"Yes."

"The title. Gone Girl. Will I like this?"

...


	18. 100 Percent Sure

_"Being in love is like being fat..You can't hide it"_  
 _― Dru Edmund Kucherera _

* * *

Rick took in his surroundings once inside the home where the twins lived with their Grandmother with tons of children running about. The twins acknowledged him but was quickly shooed away by the woman who was very suspicious and angry.

"Now this ain't fair. You didn't give me notice that you were coming to inspect. Usually, I get notice." The old woman barked.

"We are not here to inspect. We are here for the twins." Rick announced.

"Oh, no. You can't take my Grandbabies. Those are my grandchildren. Now you can take your pick from the rest of them but those two I ain't giving up without a fight. I have a Sophia, I have Lizzie and her little sister Mika, I have-"

"How are you able to just give away children to random people? Where are you getting these kids from?" Michonne asked.

"From parents or they be Runaways. They want me to babysit for whatever reason, but I knows full well it's mostly up to devilment. It be way in the night the kids are on my doorstep with a few dollars or a box of cereal in their book bag if that much, until someone comes back for them in a day or two. The one's I am listing off have been here longer than a day or two. I would consider them abandoned."

"We are here for the twins-"

"No the hell you are not. They are not abandoned. They still have a Daddy. They still have a chance. As long as I am breathing, I will fight for that chance."

The old woman and the broom were ready to strike.

"We have a major miscommunication." Michonne stated plainly.

"There's no miscommunication when you got a white man by your side Ms. Whatever your name is. They only hear it their way. See it their way. Want it their way. Lying bastards. How you think Famous Amos lost his cookies?"

"Mr. Amos lost his cookies based on a-" Rick began but was cut off by Michonne.

"Don't you dare answer that, Rick." Michonne turned to the old woman, "Ms. Grandmother, this white man was sent by Father Gabriel. He played the White Santa in the Christmas play. He was Merry Christmas to the Black Santa's Ho Ho Ho."

"Ahh. That was funny. I enjoyed that plenty. Then who you be if he is White Santa?"

"I am, Whirlwind." Michonne announced. She felt Ricks eyes burrowing in on the side of her face.

"You don't say? You look like a Queenisha to me."

"Queenisha?" Rick took the sharp Katana glare from Michonne to remain quiet and not expect an answer to his question.

"Well, folks naming kids anything these days." The woman put the broom down and let it fall against the wall into a corner. "I don't know what happened to Bertha or Gertrude. Now we got Whirlwind."

"We are not trying to take your twins. We wanted to take them shopping." Rick tried to explain.

"Shopping?"

"Yes."

"Well, I declare. It is...What today is?"

"February 13th."

"I ain't talking about that. I want to know if today is Saturday or Sunday?"

"Saturday, Ms. Grandmother."

"You funny calling me Ms. Grandmother. I got a good feeling your name ain't Whirlwind, Queenisha."

"Today is Saturday and my name isn't Queenisha. My name is Michonne Benton and this is Richard Grimes."

"Now that is much better. Who the hell you think I is that is going to just give you my Grandbabies and not know who the hell I am giving them too."

"You were willing to give us the other kids."

"That's because they don't matter to me none if I had to choose. You ever watched Sophie's Choice?"

"No." Rick responded. He made a mental note to put it on their watch list for Friday.

"I have." Michonne remembered the choice the character had to make. "Very sad movie." She shook her head at Rick and he knew it was a movie they WERE NOT going to watch. "Too sad. Character had to choose whether her son or daughter should go in the oven." Rick had gotten his quick synopsis of the movie that he would never see to get the right context, only the gist.

"That's what life is like for these kids with parents that make a decision for devilment. I am the best choice out of some of the sinister kind. You coming to my door asking for my blood...You can have these one by one before I let you take my Grandbabies. I promise you that."

"I have no idea how to help." Rick was waving a white flag. This was overwhelming his mind at the enormity of the problem.

"There comes a point where these people got to want to help themselves." The old woman stated.

"How can I help you?"

"What'd you mean? How you can help me?"

"How much money would it take to help make this better? Manageable?" Rick motioned with his hands hoping she understood he wanted to help with EVERYTHING.

"20.00?" The old woman ventured. She needed some milk and some eggs.

Michonne closed her eyes. She quietly thanked the heavens that they weren't going shopping. She was thankful that there was no future adoption of any kind because she did not want the burden of children that weren't directly her own nor Mr. Grimes. Not when there was a choice. He was making the best choice and that was to help as much as he could and it was something _He wanted_ to do.

"I know it would cost more to have your porch stairs replaced."

"Well if you want to get that fix, I can get Old man Johnson for 50.00 to repair those."

"There's someone that repair the unrepairable?" Rick ran his hand through his hair, his other hand was on his hip, he could not fathom how long this was going to take and he was only going to be out of 70.00 if he listened to the old woman.

"You want to have a seat?" The old woman asked when she noticed Rick pulling out his checkbook.

"We need to know how much you _need_. Think about it, Ms. Grandmother. We would like to leave this area before the last bus and before dark." Michonne sighed. The noise level was increasing and the twins continued to play with the children around them. This was headache producing for the dual who enjoyed things at a reasonable organized decibel.

"Call me Ms. Beulah." The toothless woman smiled.

...

Sirens. Honks. Horns. The sounds were equivalent to headache producing noise and it was all over the building including his office.

"There's a fire drill, Grimes." Glenn stood in his doorway. The man that use to have an office down the hall on the eighth floor who relegated himself on the 6th floor as the Security and Safety Supervisor.

"I know."

"It means you too." Michonne informed.

"It's a drill." Rick replied directly to Michonne.

"What are you going to do if it is ever the real thing? Sit there and continue to work?"

"Michonne-"

"You may be able to beat me off of you like a firefighter but a real fire, Grimes?"

"I don't beat you off like a fire-"

"Come on you too. You can banter out in the parking lot." Carol stood behind Michonne peering into Mr. Grimes office.

Mr. Grimes gathered his suit jacket and followed behind the two women reluctantly with Glenn following, he veered to the elevator and Carol grabbed his arm for the direction of the stairs.

"A fire drill. A real fire you wouldn't take the elevator."

He held the door open, and Carol stepped forward first and then Michonne.

"Eight flights of stairs." Rick sighed. Exasperation.

"Down is easy, Grimes." Michonne said as a matter-of-fact.

"Maybe I should check to see if everyone has-"

"I've already done that, Mr. Grimes." Glenn replied coming up from behind after securing that no one was on the eight floor.

"Now come on and get your exercise on a decline." Michonne squeezed his biceps.

"I would like you to know that I do exercise. I haven't lately because of finding time-"

"You have time, Grimes. Less movie time and more movement time for you."

"What?"

"She said less Movie time and More Movement time." Glenn repeated. He was amused that the rumors were true. There was something going on between his Friend and Carol's Personal Assistant.

"There's more implied there, cover your ears or pretend you can't hear a word between them, Glenn," Carol snickered. She stopped to slip off her heels to help speed up the process of going down the flights of stairs and exiting the building.

"I think I made my point, Michonne." Mr. Grimes began to get visibly annoyed to the point he wasn't sure if it was the impromptu exercise or Michonne allowing everyone to connect dots that would lead to inappropriate thoughts of what was going on between him and this talkative assistant.

"Work related steering here, Mr. Grimes. Just think how invaluable it would be to have a fitness room here inside of Go Stop." Michonne proposed.

Mr. Grimes was forced to continue along, "And put it where, Ms. Benton?" He figured by using her last name would throw, Glenn off even if Carol was on the scent.

"We have two areas of dead space in this building. We have one on the Third floor and the other-" Michonne was ready to point out but was cut off by Mr. Grimes abruptly.

Mr. Grimes was sure the second area Michonne was going to point out was the dead space he tried to create between the two of them. The dead space that was alive with energy, color, playful words with hidden meaning that left him pondering in the middle of the night until he would break down and call her up to glean more than what was actually said.

"Okay." He agreed quickly, "Call up legal and find out how it can be arranged without holding, GO Stop liable for any possible injuries or misuse."

"It'd be nice to have a video with you instructing everyone how to use the machines." Carol chimed for good measure and she wasn't surprised by the snippy response she got from her boss.

"That would be like a video with me dancing. _Not_ going to happen."

"Which one? The video or you dancing?"

"All of it."

...

"The guy who said he would not have a video with him dancing." Glenn eyed a confused Rick Grimes. He remembered the conversation during the fire drill a year ago.

"What the hell's going on?"

"Audition."

"Audition for what?"

"A dance partner for you."

"Dance partner?"

"Buddy, I sometimes wonder how you made it so far. You seem to be in a perpetual haze."

"I did not okay this."

"I am not in the inner circle any more to tell you exactly who authorized this since I self demoted in order to be home with Maggie and the baby. The hours are better in this position. Either way you are an internet sensation. I have Tyrese from the mailroom. He volunteered to be your bodyguard. We had three women already removed due to unseemly behavior that I know you would frown upon, dressed extremely inappropriate."

"I hope you don't mind me, protecting you?" Tyrese asked.

"From? I am not dancing with anyone. Where's Michonne?"

"She's in San Diego."

"Why would I dance with anyone other than, Michonne. I have only danced with Michonne. I am not, I mean NOT dancing with anyone else. Cancel it all. This was not on my schedule. If Michonne was here I would have known about this. If Michonne was here she would have informed me and..."

"Who are we to tell this too?" Glenn asked.

"I don't care. Shut it down." Rick directed.

"I will take care of it Boss." Tyrese took charge and left with his new duties. He was going to carve him out a job outside of the mailroom.

...

"It's midnight in San Diego."

Michonne was sitting up in the middle of Rick's bed. She was in his home in San Diego while he was still in Georgia. His back was against his headboard. She was Pacific Standard and he was Eastern Standard time."

"How do you like your new position?" Rick smiled at the woman who was smiling right back at him.

"I love it. I love it. I love it."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"I wanted to hear your voice." Rick admitted.

"You wanted more than to hear my voice, Mister. You wanted to FaceTime. You weren't going to rest until we did."

"Is that a problem?"

"Yes it's a problem. I have not only your sexy voice but your sexy face and from the angle I can see a little bit of your bare chest. Move your laptop back a little bit more." Michonne bit down on her lower lip taking in the visual of her sexy mate.

"Is that better?" Rick chuckled.

"Much better. How are you? I heard you had a melt-down."

"How did you hear that?"

"I'm still on your distribution list, silly and Carol called and told me."

"Carol?"

"She's lost without me too. Not just you, Rick."

"I'm not dancing with anyone else, Michonne." Rick declared.

"I know."

"I am Not."

"I was wondering when you would declare it out loud."

"I did. In front of witnesses and I didn't care."

"I was the one who authorized the audition."

"Michonne-"

"It was Carol who filmed us dancing at the office Christmas Party."

"Carol?"

"She told me. She said she would have told you but you never asked."

"Carol."

"It's done, Rick. You should never had said you would never dance or have it on video. Never say, Never." Michonne laughed.

"Only you, Michonne."

"I cause your happy feet?"

"Yeah."

"I love you, Rick." Michonne beamed.

The silence was noticed by Michonne who watched Rick watch her. He was at a loss for words. His heart decided at that moment to lodge in his throat.

"Are you going to say anything?" Michonne nervously twisted her dread around her finger.

I thought for a moment and felt the intensity of the moment. Her declaration. What she said, meant everything to me. And I meant every single word that I spoke back to her as I tried to be as succinct as Michonne likes me to be.

"I am 100% positive I will _NEVER_ blur with anyone else." I could only hope that she gathered that it meant I loved her too.


	19. Him, Me And A Rolex

_"There is that awful moment when you realize that you're falling in love. That should be the most joyful moment, and actually it's not. It's always a moment that's full of fear because you know, as night follows day, the joy is going to rapidly be followed by some pain or other. All the angst of a relationship."_  
 _― Helen Mirren_

* * *

"You have to be out of your mind!" Sasha exclaimed in the corner of the cafeteria where she sat with Michonne and the most beautiful piece of Art.

"I agree." Michonne picked over her salad.

"You gave back a 10k dollar purse?"

"I did."

"Why in the world would you do it?"

"Mr. Grimes got so pissed off. He's been pissed off before but never that type of pissed off."

"Why would you care?"

"Great question. He got me in a one-sided love affair. I could possibly be married to the man who couldn't believe I didn't own a Birkin. Instead, I chose to continue to have a numb, overly stimulated vagina. I am dildoed out." Michonne drops her fork.

"Or you could have at least slid the stranger my phone number. Damn you Michonne."

"Damn Mr. Grimes."

"How did a guy just offer to buy you a Birkin?"

"Grimes was in the back discussing the Rolex. The reason why he and I flew out from here to there."

"Not business related?"

"No. Not in the least."

"Really?"

"He got a message that his watch was procured. We were on the couch. He looks over to me and asks me if I was busy for the next 72hrs. I looked back at him like, man you know what's up. I am down for whatever-"

"You've got to be shitting me?"

"Yeah the man what's up I am down for whatever part-"

"You are crazy." Sasha laughs.

"Mr. Grimes says I exaggerate because of too much Television. I am trying to help him see there is a difference between television shows and movies."

"Is that what you have been spoon feeding him, Michonne?"

"Anyway, we were on the couch, and he asks me what I was doing for the next 72 or so hours. I told him some of those hours would be spent at work and he was like, 'Well, how about we play hooky and go to London?' I asked him what could possibly be in London and he said, "Him, me and a Rolex."

"You sure you two haven't had sex yet, and you are just messing with my mind? You spend a lot of time on this couch of his." Sasha was skeptical.

"I spend a lot of time thinking how to climb on his lap. I already told you I think I have desensitized my coochie with too much vibrator. If I had Mr. Grimes, I wouldn't have to possibly go see a doctor to find out if they can jumpstart my nerve endings down below where Mr. Grimes don't want to go."

"It's when you tell me too much, I love you the most, Michonne." Sasha giggled.

"He had already purchased two tickets."

"He knows you very well."

Michonne sighed.

"So this was so not a Business Trip." Sasha added two and two together.

"He took a picture of me sleeping on the airplane."

"How'd you know?"

"Because I wasn't sleeping."

"You are-"

"He then began to videotape with his narrative of what playing possum looks like."

"Oh my God. He is so down south."

"He's originally from Georgia. He has a twang when he really relaxes."

"Why were you playing Possum Michonne?"

"I am tired of hearing all the things Mr. Grimes has done for me. It's like he loves to pull out that tiny violin and expects me to listen about how things will, would, could, should, may, possibly look from an outsider's viewpoint. If it's questionable, then it's inappropriate. I hate that word. He has done x, y, and Z. He could have written me up for the time I blatantly disregarded his request to let him know that Jessie was waiting for him on the first floor. How his calls never came through from his random hookups that were bold enough to call the office while he was in a meeting. Dates weren't scheduled on his calendar. Yes, I personally saw to the shambles of his personal life."

"Michonne!"

"I am admitting to you. Not to him. He hasn't a clue about the random hookups trying to Hook him. I removed the lure, the bait, fishing line, the pole and if I could have gotten away with it I would have told them to back off, he's busy eating my pussy."

"I can't imagine what you will be like once he lays it on you." Sasha covered her mouth with a napkin. She was ready to choke and spit and Michonne wasn't letting up.

"Normal. It will normalize me. It will cure me from living in my head."

"I have never wanted a man that much. I would be-next."

"Tyrese in the mailroom has asked me out. I'm going out with him. Grimes has a date. He doesn't know I know, but I be damn I am home alone on a Saturday night waiting for a man that knows I am waiting."

"And Waiting and Waiting." Sasha added.

"Do you think I am desperate if I find love in the mailroom?"

"Nothing is more extreme than what you have been doing for how long now?"

Michonne sucked her teeth and sighed.

"I am your friend, Michonne. I am not going to lie to you. As far as Tyrese, he's handsome."

"He's alright."

"You were entertaining his boys last week in the Cafeteria. I thought it was cute seeing you as a foursome."

"I love his boys. The second time I met them."

"I hope Saturday is a great date."

"Thanks, Sasha."

"Now tell me about the purse from the stranger. How did that happen? How do we always get off topic?"

"He asked me which one I liked, and I pointed. I had no idea how much it cost. He didn't pause or say go to the clearance aisle or drop your panties over here in the corner while no one's looking and let me finger you."

"It had to imply something?"

"I didn't even know how much the bag I had gotten minutes earlier cost. I certainly didn't know how much the bag was that the stranger purchased until Mr. Grimes enters the scene."

"You got a bag earlier?"

"Yes. Mr. Grimes told me to pick something while I waited for him. I picked, and they put their white gloves on, wrapped, boxed and bagged."

"Christie's very expensive."

"If you have to ask how much then you can't afford it. I wasn't paying for anything, and I wasn't about to ask for the price."

"You tried to blend in?"

"I was with Mr. Grimes. It was like a flutter was happening when we were inside. I like the sound of honeybees at work."

"I can just imagine." Sasha sighed.

"Mr. Grimes told me to pick out whatever I wanted. I probably could have gone crazy, but I really only wanted him. Still."

"Who is blowing up your phone? Don't they know it is your work hours?" The buzzing sound was annoying to Sasha.

"It's him. Mr. Grimes. He's not going to rest unless I give him a policy number."

"Policy number?"

"Personal Articles. I have one. I didn't need him to tell me I needed one. I'm going to make him panic."

"All he has to do is access the system to see if you purchased a policy."

"That would be highly inappropriate."

"True. Anyway, tell me the story. Tell me how it came about you had a 10k dollar bag and took it back."

"I'm sitting there looking cute."

"Cute or Sexy?"

"Sexy cute."

"What were you wearing?"

"I had on my cute dress that showed the right amount of cleavage and leg."

"Heels?"

"Of course. Lips moisturized. Breath was fresh. Eyebrows were done. Eyelashes coated. Nails polished. Hands. Toes."

"Groomed as usual."

"This guy with red hair was just checking me out while he was waiting for his private sales person who was missing in action."

"Where was Mr. Grimes?"

"In the back probably beating off to the Rolex."

Sasha laughed heartily. "Michonne stop."

"Anyway-"

"What did he look like?"

"Tall, well built, red hair, red-blooded American."

"Handsome?"

"He was on the okay side for those that may have slight vision problems."

"Michonne."

"Grimes could get it freely, that guy would have to pay handsomely for me to give it, willingly."

"I don't know what to do with you."

"He was checking me out, and he said, 'My name is Abraham Ford, and you have to be the Most Beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.'

"Really?"

"He asked me if I was there for a Birkin? He said I look like a woman who should carry one."

"On his dollar, I would carry the fuck out of one. Again, why did you give it back?"

"Grimes was out with his Rolex already wrapped, boxed, bagged and his dick back in his pants when he overheard the part, 'I want to be the man that gives you Birkins.' My 10k dollar Birkin was in the process of being wrapped, boxed and bagged when Mr. Grimes sized the man up and it went from there."

...

"I'm a purse man. I know what ladies of her caliber want."

"Is that so?"

"Hell yeah. She needs a reflection of a man who's wealthy enough to Brand her and make her his because he wants her with the best."

"We are in Christie's."

"Things are pretty pricey, I know. How much was the bag you got her?"

"Eight."

"Mine was 10, and she accepted it. What does that say about you?" Abraham smiled.

"I am not sure who you are or what line of work you are in but-Michonne?" Rick called for Michonne. He was flustered.

"Yes?"

"Agnes?"

"Yes, sir?" The saleswoman responded.

"Show Michonne, Birkin."

"We have the-" Agnes was ready to give her spiel of code, to know whether to begin with, low price Birkins or the higher price.

"BIRKIN!" Rick shouted, interrupting Agnes. He then turned to Michonne, "Pick Michonne! Don't come from around there unless you have chosen and I don't care how many."

"Whoa..." Abraham was surprised by the demand. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I am Richard Sinclaire Grimes."

"I am Abraham Ford, Action figures and I am backing the fuck up. You're the owner of Go Stop Insurance? My millions, to your billions. I am damn happy to be in you acquaintance."

...

"Why can't I be a fly in your life?" Sasha asked dreamily.

"So the guy was gone and it was just Me, Mr. Grimes and the 10k dollar Birkin that was causing an issue because he felt I shouldn't accept gifts from strangers."

"Again, why does he care?"

"I had to choose. It was weird."

"He likes you. It's the only thing that makes sense. Why would he stand in the way of you meeting someone regardless of the strangers intentions, unless he trying to stake some kind of claim over you."

"All he has to do is say the word."

"Mr. Grimes is fighting his attraction to you a little to hard and failing miserably.

"He's fighting and I am exhausted. I've been swinging and swinging and I can't seem to knock his ass out with all the love I want to give to him."

"How much is this work of Art?"

"50k."

"No shit?"

"Carol knows. I think. She knew the year and everything."

"This is 50k?"

"Yes."

"Michonne?"

"He said pick. It was hard decision. There were several."

"You could have got them based on the story you are telling me."

"I want Mr. Grimes."

"I want Mr. Grimes."

"You can't have him."

"He got you two purses for almost 60 grand and you haven't fucked? You are really trying to insult my intelligence."

"I am not lying to you, Sasha. Seriously."

"You will be fucking soon. Trust me."

"He won't stop. Wait Sasha. I have to text him back. I have to give him my policy number. He will go into Cardiac arrest. He's old you know. He won't tell me his age, but I am absolutely sure he is ripe for Heart Attack Central."

 **Mr. Grimes** : I've apologized.

 **Mr. Grimes** : I don't like when you ignore me.

 **Mr. Grimes** : I have no idea why I let you get to me like this.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Thanksgiving is coming up, and I thought we were going to spend it together and we can't if we don't figure this out.

 **Michonne:** I have nothing to figure out. We will have Thanksgiving together. Carl and Judith are expecting our camping adventure regardless if you and I are going to continue this friendship.

 **Mr. Grimes** : I have a date, Saturday. One time with the person I secretly see, but you don't want to know anything about it.

 **Michonne:** I wonder why in the hell did I give back the 10k dollar purse.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Come to my office. I am in my office.

 **Michonne:** My Policy number is A325c888.

"Why are you crying, Michonne?" Sasha asked.

"He's such a fucking asshole."

"Where are you going?"

"Home, I have to go or I will get myself fired or make a rash decision and quit."

...

I found myself in the parking garage trying to hold it together. My heart was heavy and the tears kept falling. I didn't care if the salt would damage the Croc Birkin. I was just a mess. I was glad that no one seem to notice. I was going to go home and lie down, a heavy heart is exhausting to carry around. When I got to my Mercedes I could hear the footfalls behind me and the voice had me startled as it echoed and bounced around the parking Garage cement barriers.

"Michonne...Michonne. Wait...Michonne where are you going?"

"I'm going home."

"It's only 1:30pm."

"I am jet lag and tired."

"Why are you crying?"

"I am jet lag and tired."

"Are we going to be okay for Thursday? I see we still have an issue with that damn 10k dollar bag."

"You have a date on Saturday. I could have been tongue kissing my 10k dollar Birkin."

"You want another Birkin, Michonne? I will get you another one, just not that one."

"You are missing my point."

"Your point is to piss me off."

"Why are you pissed, Mr. Grimes?"

"I'm still thinking about the why."

"While you mull it over, I am taking the rest of the day off. I can't carry this burden alone."

"I want you to understand something Michonne, I don't know how to do this thing with you when you get like this."

"Don't worry Mr. Grimes, I am going to get my shit together. A new Michonne, January 1st."

"I have no idea what a new Michonne entails but I need you to know that we have to communicate."

"I have been communicating, Mr. Grimes. I have hinted, I have suggested, I have outright asked you if you wanted to Blur, would you like to blur imagine if we blurred-"

"You have me all in knots, and I have no one to talk to about it without exposing things that could give the impression that there is more that has happened when it hasn't happened. You have this story written of your perfect version of me, and it surprises me still that I live up to your expectations or that I want to meet them. I enjoy your company Michonne work and outside of work and it makes me even more confused about what is right and what is wrong."

"I am the ear that hears the valid things that make everything wrong, Mr. Grimes. I haven't heard anything about what makes it right. The other ear would love to hear it coming from you."

"We are in a situation that causes us to lose focus. It's not like you are on the 7th floor, Michonne. I could avoid you if things didn't work out or you could file harassment charges or-"

"Did this paranoia only strike with me or did you have a case of it with whoever it is you see currently in the office?"

"I am seeing someone, and I have been negligent in maintaining that relationship because of the hours I spend at work, with you and my children. I haven't been a good boyfriend to her at all."

"I should care."

"What you should care about Michonne is that I wouldn't do that to you. I wouldn't cheat on you. I wouldn't. I would be 100% fully committed to you, and I would expect the same from you." Rick stood by the trunk of my car.

"I have been holding up my end like a fool."

"Not if you doubt whether or not you should have kept that damn Birkin!" He came around from the back to where I stood by the driver side door of my Mercedes.

"The point, Mr. Grimes is that I don't have that Birkin, but you are still going on a date Saturday."

"Michonne...Michonne..." Rick was at a loss for words. He felt keenly aware that the woman before him had robbed him of his heart if not pieces of it as they spoke with complete abandon. Not a care if there were witnesses and they were observed and overheard in bits and pieces if not in it's entirety.

"Are we going to be okay for Thanksgiving, Michonne?"

"I'm tired, Mr. Grimes."

"Are we going to be okay Thanksgiving or not?"

"You have to pick up the RV at 10am tomorrow morning. I have it on your schedule. There is a class you have to take and you must listen, Mr. Grimes."

"Am I buying or renting this RV?"

"Renting. I don't thinking you want to buy one and then worry where to park it when you aren't driving it."

"Carl and Judith are excited about a Thanksgiving spent camping."

"I figured we should be on the road tomorrow by 2pm but that is based on you listening in the RV class, Mr. Grimes."

"Can we take the class together?"

"Together?"

"Just in case there is something I missed, I know you will catch."

"I will meet you at Dale's RV's at 9:45am, Mr. Grimes."

"Okay, Michonne."

"What are you doing?"

"Wiping your eyes."

"There's people looking over here at us."


	20. My Snake

_"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun."_  
 _― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice _

* * *

"So that is how you judge television shows?"

"How I use to judge them. Now, I just don't watch." Michonne sat slouched on the couch next to me.

"Well, you were watching with me." I informed her.

"To get you caught up."

"Well, I like Frasier." I couldn't help the smile that was threatening to grow.

"You have snippets of the brothers character."

"What?" The smile died by the news Michonne was revealing about how she saw me.

"Mostly Frasier. Is that better somehow?"

"I like it better when you see me as the Deputy on the Walking Dead."

"Do you know how many seasons we had to get through just to see him and the Katana kiss on the couch?"

"Well, he had a wife and then he went crazy for a long time there."

"I really thought he was talking to someone on the phone. That was a good catch Mr. Grimes that he wasn't. I was like why isn't he asking where's the safe zone since there is a working phone because _hey_ we are in the shit zone."

"They were at the Prison."

"Shit zone. Who wants to be held up in a prison?"

"People with Zombies on the outside."

"You got a point. I would have to find the Warden quarters. Has to be less prison like. They didn't show us any real field trips inside where decision of what's the cleanest spot. Where can I close my eyes without the toilet right by my bottom lip...Don't look at me like that, Mr. Grimes."

"Again why don't you like television shows?"

"New Girl I had to get to season two, episode15 for a kiss. House Season 5 Episode 6 for House and Cuddy and-"

"Anything else you mention, I won't have a clue. The names of the shows sound like I wouldn't have an interest."

"Like us. You don't have a clue. We are almost on Season 3."

"Ending of Season 2 Michonne."

"I have a feeling my kiss will be coming real soon."

"You really want to be kissed?"

"Yes, _Rick_. I really want to be kissed."

"If I do this you must promise to never speak about it."

"Won't be hard to do if it is good. Please make it good to me Mr. Grimes. I won't tell a single soul where the good stuff is hidden."

Mr. Grimes slid his hand on top of Michonne's similar to the reenactment when the Katana woman held the Mints with the Deputy's hand playfully covering it before he turns and kiss her or she kissed him.

Mr. Grimes moved in and kissed Michonne a very simple and chaste kiss on the corner of her pillowy bottom lip. He didn't expect much from the simple contact and that was what surprised him the most. He felt everything and he gleaned from the way she was moving forward however slight she felt it too and less hesitant than the first time he aimed and centralized his kiss that was met with a reaction that caused him to swell with less inhibition when it came to deepening the kiss.  
It was her tongue that was doing him in. It was her ability to get him to open and let out what he hadn't expressed to anyone in his whole life. Desire for a priceless connection. It was a cake that he had carved for just himself and only he can or will enjoy. His cake. Every delicious morsel. His. Sweet passionate kissing.

"Mr. Grimes, wake up. Wake up, Mr. Grimes."

"Yeah, I'm up. Michonne, Please let's not stop kissing." He grasped blindly for Michonne who stood there confused with Carl and Judith staring on at their very own father.

"Your kids are looking at you like you have lost your mind. I am looking at you wondering when did you find it?"

"What?"

"We are going on a hiking adventure. We have our bear Mace and knife for any danger that lurks in these part of the woods. We aren't going far but it gives you time to get yourself together. I have a compass for you and our coordinates." Michonne eyed me.

"Were you dreaming about Ms. Michonne, Dad?"

"It was a dream?"

"I told you Daddy likes, Ms. Michonne, Carl, now who's stupid?" Judith asked.

"Come on. Out of the RV my camping entourage. Out. We will hike 1.5 miles and back. We have to make some discoveries to have made this trip worthwhile you know. We all can't have the best discovery like your Dad there."

Michonne took the kids out while I got a handle on myself. I needed to get a grip or I was going to lose control and my kids would be the first to witness inappropriate behavior. I wanted to be their example. A cold shower to shock away the lust filled need that was growing like a weed.

The RV we had was large enough to still have an intimate family feel to it. Michonne kept busy. She kept us all busy and amused. She didn't bring up what transpired Thanksgiving Morning.

Her hand. I offered it crossing the creek bed and I began to ruminate about the contact. The intimacy that it implied.

I know I have touched her hand before, in the office we would high five after I had a successful outcome in a meeting or a low high five when I wasn't enthused about going in to one where I knew people were going to lack the right preparations and I would have to point it out. Support. She was with me, positive or negative.

I had asked for more sunscreen and she dabbed my cheeks and took my outstretched hand to keep me moving on the exhausting hike. She had the energy of a young person. Then we were around the campfire and her hand became familiar to me when she refused the key to the RV. I wanted my phone but she insisted I didn't need my phone if she had hers.

...

One tent and three sleeping bags. Two child size and a large enough adult bag that had room for an additional someone petite like Michonne. Michonne wasn't prepared. Camping meant RV. We had a vote and Michonne lost.

We were whispering. Carl was knocked out, soft snoring was the indication he was and we didn't think about Judith for a long moment.

"I have never slept on the ground and you are worried about me touching you, Mr. Grimes? I am worried about snakes-well your snake is different but right now it isn't on my mind."

"You just mentioned it. It is on your mind."

"It is on my list as top priority but in this particular situation it is probably number 5. Right now, I am thinking about bears, spiders, Coyotes, Snakes and then your snake."

"How is it you have a fear of these things when you had gone out and plotted treasures for the kids?"

"Daylight. I had my boots and I was upward, eyes wide. Prepared. Imagine a strike with eyes closed, Mr. Grimes."

"Are you going to go to sleep or not?"

"Why are you worried about me? You can go to sleep. I will keep watch."

"Facing me? For the love of God do not move any closer to me. Don't touch me either Michonne."

"You can sleep on the outside of the sleeping bag." Michonne suggested.

"It's cold."

"It will help you relate to the chilly zone."

"This is my sleeping bag that I am offering to share with you. I am asking you to behave."

"If I don't?"

"Michonne."

"What do you expect me to do? You want me to turn and face away from you?" Michonne asked.

Rick thought for a second and realized that would not work. Her ass in his direction would not be a good idea. He had an erection and he wasn't going to reveal it by getting out of the sleeping bag even though he needed to get out from under the spell of Michonne.

"I am going to turn away from you. I have to turn away." Rick's voice wavered.

"Turn." Michonne voice wavered.

They were on the same sexual dial and it was on warmer than ever and scorching due to sharing the same sleeping bag.

"Could you not do that?"

"What?"

"Lick your lips."

"I have just put your snake at number one at this moment. Are we about to-"

"Carl wake up, Dad and Ms. Michonne are about to kiss." Judith whispered, nudging her brother.

"We are not!" Rick declared and woke from his lustful haze.

He turned his back on Michonne and was met with an excited look from Judith who was propped up on her elbows watching intently, overhearing things about fear of snakes, except her fathers. She was unaware of her Dad having a pet snake.

"Go to sleep, Judith."

...


	21. I Thought He Had A Stroke

_"We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me, love like that has only happened once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I'll never forget a single moment of it."_  
 _― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook _

* * *

"If I am late for work Mr. Grimes it is all your fault. You can't give me a verbal or write it down to remind me of this time when you aren't allowing me to sleep. I am using you as a valid excuse for my tardy in the morning. Your fault." Michonne insisted.

Michonne checked the time on her alarm clock against the time displayed on her cell phone. It matched. 2am.

"I need you to delete that picture."

"No."

"Michonne."

"I like it. It's very prominent like the man."

"I need you to delete that picture."

"I pray that it is not hooded. I am flexible if it is wearing a very clean hood."

"It is clean. I will not verify anything else with you, Michonne."

"I am hanging up." Michonne yawned. She knew when Mr. Grimes was going to draw a blank or black out. She wasn't about to exert too much energy in veering if he refused to participate and actively engage.

"I will just call right back." Mr. Grimes replied back.

"What do you want Mr. Grimes?"

"It's not fair and it's Highly Inappropriate. I have no idea what you plan to do with a picture like that, and I think about my kids if you decide to do-"

"Well, it helped produce your children and possibly any future children."

"You caught me off guard being in my house and plus I wasn't feeling well and I wake up the next day with you next to me. I go to the bathroom and come out and you snap a picture." Mr. Grimes gave his version of events. "Normally, I wouldn't give a shit, Michonne. We both have pictures of each other but you have a dick pix of me as your screensaver."

"Now you've downgraded it to sick? At the time I distinctively remember you said you were dying."

Michonne propped her pillow under her head for more comfort.

"It is a pajama covered Dick Pix. What do you want, Mr. Grimes? I am not deleting it."

"What reason do you have for keeping that picture?"

"I will send you a picture of my reason, and we will call it even. I will keep my picture of you, and you will have the reason I need your picture."

Michonne disconnected the call. She sent Mr. Grimes a very seductive picture of her and a pink dildo. Within several minutes she received a text.

 **Mr. Grimes** : I am lost for words.  
 **Michonne** : You found 5.  
 **Mr. Grimes** : Are you drunk?  
 **Michonne:** You found three more.  
 **Mr. Grimes** : I have to delete it.  
 **Michonne:** Okay.  
 **Mr. Grimes** I have to.  
 **Michonne:** Okay. I am not deleting your picture from my phone. Good night.

Michonne slid her phone under her pillow with it still grasped in her hand when she heard and felt the vibration. The sensation made her lady parts tingle.

Mr. Grimes was calling her back. He wasn't texting.

"What do you expect me to do with this, Michonne?"

"I thought you were going to delete it?"

There was a disconcerting silence. Michonne wasn't sure what to make of it.

"What do you want to do with it, Mr. Grimes? I have sent you a picture. We are even. Square. Friends sharing. Right? Trying to keep it fair. Your heart can only handle so much, you know."

"I don't know where to begin, Michonne."

"Do you want me to help?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to help you understand why I need that picture of you?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to tell you what it does to me when I am alone in the night?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to tell you how I imagine you inside of me?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to tell you how wet I get just looking at it?"

"Yes."

"I want to touch you there. I want to feel you in my hands. I want to know how thick it is, how long, how warm. I get really horny in the night, and I like looking at it. I'm in my bed all alone, waiting for you, waiting for it. I want to know what it would feel like to have you all up inside me. It makes me squirm because I know it's going to make me moan when you put it in. It's going to make me call your name. I will have to tell you to take it slow because you are so big and I am so tight. I haven't had a man in awhile. I really want the real thing. The real thing makes me very wet. I am so tight and wet, Mr. Grimes."

Michonne only had his breathing that was slightly labored to go by when she waited for a response, any response that was favorable to what she was sharing with him. Michonne wanted him to share that part of himself with her, but he would have to trust her. This was an indication, she thought.

"Why can't you call me Rick?"

"Are we blurring?"

"What does it sound like, Michonne? Once. Tell me." His voice was strained and desperate.

" _Rick_." Michonne gave him a glimpse of what blurring would look like for the both of them, for him.

Click was the sound that Michonne heard next. It was startling because she was aroused and based on Mr. Grimes lack of breathing she could tell he just may have had a stroke after all.  
...

My heart was doing somersaults, cartwheels, and my feet were ready to walk over hot coals because Mr. Grimes seemed to be on the other side ready to take my love with his love and have the most glorious union that has yet to make a cinematic debut on any movie screen.

I don't watch a lot of porn. It may be available on large screens for viewing pleasure, but all the dirty things I wanted him to do to me and I to him would soon be coming soon to GO Stop Insurance under his desk or on top of his desk. I had plans; I mean why else was he trying to hold my hand? Reaching for my hand as if I had something to give to him?

Thinking back on it, he wanted me to give him his phone, but I gave him my hand instead. Mr. Grimes wanted more sunscreen, but I gave him my hand while we hiked with his kids discovering treasures. He wanted the key to the RV while we sat by the campfire, I gave him my hand.

Our Thanksgiving spent camping was fun, and I learned quite a bit. One Mr. Grimes dreams about kissing me and two we would have blurred the fuck out of each other in the sleeping bag if Judith would not have been awake, watching, smiling.

Friday came and things _were_ different. He wasn't in search of anything. He reached his hand out while I was in the big comfy captain chair in the Recreational Vehicle after dropping his kids off to his ex-wife Lori and we held hands.

Man hands. Mr. Grimes hadn't shaved, and he was looking rugged and handsome with his tousled curls, blue eyes sheepishly looking over at me on occasion as he drove the rental back to Dale's RVs.

"Are you tired? Do you want me to take you home?" He had asked.

"Do you want me to go home?"

"It's Friday. I know we spent most of Wednesday and all of Thursday together."

"I was there. We did and today is Friday." I confirmed playfully.

"Carl and Judith had a great time. I would have never thought to spend Thanksgiving camping, Michonne."

"I have a list of things you would have never thought of doing, Mr. Grimes." The suggestive tone wasn't lost on him.

"Today is our Movie Night, and I just wanted to know if you still wanted to have a Movie Night? I have Popcorn and the drinks. It's your turn to serve."

"I can serve more than that." I hinted boldly, and I didn't look away when I did, and I watched his expression in his eyes glean my meaning immediately.

We were sitting in his 'I don't want everyone to know how Rich I am top of the line Dodge Ram Pickup truck at Dale's RV. We had already turned in the rental, and we were back to hand holding.

Mr. Grimes was doing something to my fingers, or maybe I was doing something to his that caused him and me to verge on blur. If he had kissed me then, I would have ripped the clothes from his body the best I could and melted into him. Right then and there. I would have torn off my seatbelt and climbed on his lap so help me God. He didn't kiss me.

"Lori is looking forward to us to go to her little party tomorrow. I can't stay long and wanted to make sure we were on the same page as far as if you and I were going there together or separate."

"You are still going on your date?" I braced myself for his answer.

"I have been blowing her off. It's not right. I have led her to believe we were back on two weeks ago and..."

"I have no idea what you are trying to say to me or what you are saying when this topic comes up. It's the strangest thing. I am either blacking out or just going blank."

Michonne tried to figure out what happened two weeks ago. She tried to narrow it down when Mr. Grimes would have had time to entertain someone. She went through her data bank in her mind and came up with possible times, like the time she thought he had a heart attack after their sexual conversation and rushed to his house to find he was gone. He wasn't home.

"You always do that, Michonne. I can't talk to you."

"Not about her. Not about another woman that you are so _faithful_ too but you spend all your time at work, with your kids and me. It leaves too much room for confusion, Mr. Grimes. I am the one you are actually unfaithful to. I am the one that is jilted here. I am the one wearing the winter coat, and you finally offered me gloves for my hands to indicate that I possibly might have a chance out of the chilly Friend Zone. Sorry, if I don't give two shits about this make-believe relationship that you have fooled yourself into dreaming yourself in just because you say you are when it is convenient for you."

I tried to remove my hand from his, but he held tight.

"Why are you holding my hand, Mr. Grimes?"

"I have absolutely no idea how we began this, but I am okay with it Michonne if you can control that thing that you do. I have to take care of stuff with the other person." Mr. Grimes insisted.

"How serious are you or were you with this other person? I am perplexed."

"Not serious for marriage."

"Help me understand this relationship that you still firmly believe that you have been faithful to when you are holding my hand, spending majority your time with me."

"I can't."  
...


	22. Heck No!

_"Well, it seems to me that the best relationships - the ones that last - are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with."_  
 _― Gillian Anderson _

* * *

It was Our Movie night, and I was feeling a little more touchy feely with Michonne. We were very handsy with each other. Not in the places that were inappropriate but we were exploring touch and becoming acquainted in that way. Loose, warm, familiarizing fingers intertwining with hers since we discovered hand holding on our two day RV adventure that consisted of spending Thanksgiving together.

I continued to hold her hand while hiking long after we crossed the creek bed. I held her hand around the campfire while she and I told scary stories before going inside to retire for the night. I knew she wanted me to kiss her. I couldn't kiss her. My kids were wide awake and were watching, especially Judith.

Now we were alone in my home Friday night popping popcorn and preparing to watch the next season of the Walking Dead when my doorbell rings, and we ended up with an unexpected third wheel. Daryl Dixon. My longtime friend from my childhood on my doorstep with an overnight bag. We embraced. It was good to see him. His motorbike was parked out front.

"Who's this? Your girlfriend?" Daryl asked. He was checking out Michonne with a huge grin.

I went into auto pilot. A couple of years of training the words just tumbled. Denial. Habit.

"Heck no, this is Michonne Benton. She works for me. She's an Executive Assistant at GO Stop. She was Carol's Assistant before her promotion." Daryl and Carol had a short fling. According to Daryl it didn't take much to get Carol into bed a few times. I begged him to spare me the details.

Michonne gave me the briefest of looks that held nothing I could discern. She turned to Daryl and smiled, and the introduction began, they hit it off instantly.

Daryl was flirting with Michonne and Michonne was flirting right back.

It was Michonne's turn to supply popcorn and drinks. She wouldn't move for me when I needed my popcorn replenished, but she served only Daryl and herself. Michonne left me holding my empty glass of melting ice as she walked passed.

"Is she single?" Daryl asked me when Michonne had gone to the kitchen.

I was annoyed. Daryl was sitting in my seat on the couch, and it was pissing me off. I relegated myself to the armchair where I had an awkward angle of the television but a great view of him and Michonne on the sofa. He was in my fucking spot. Michonne invited Daryl to take my spot.

"She's not married." I responded.

"Boyfriend?"

"Well there is a guy-"

"Well, the guy ain't doing his job if she fucking here with you and me watching the Walking Dead."

I wanted to correct him that he was with her and I watching the Walking Dead, but I let it slide. I realized I was the _GUY_ that wasn't doing my fucking job.

"Any little ass kickers?"

"None." My response was curt.

"I think I am going to Marry her."

"You've just met her." I tensed at his declaration.

"She's beautiful, single, smart and funny. She doesn't seem uptight about shit. She has a beautiful name and-"

"You just met her. I have known her over two years-almost three and she speaks a language-"

"I didn't hear an accent besides I think I may have a shoe in because she's laughing at my jokes."

My autopilot was gone. My scripted response ripped to shreds. I was mute and fuming.

"I'm going to try to bang that before the night is over." Daryl confided his intentions.

I was up instantly bee-lining it to the kitchen where Michonne was humming a tune I did not recognize.

"It's your turn to supply the popcorn." My script returned unexpectedly, out of the blue. I was just as curt with her as I was with Daryl.

She put her fingers in her bowl and grabbed a handful and threw them in my face. Warm Popcorn.

"There's your popcorn." Michonne fumed.

I grabbed a popped kernel that randomly landed on the granite kitchen counter and threw it where it hit her in the chest and it fell inside her shirt.

"You know he is in my spot." I seethed back at Michonne.

"He's _your_ friend."

"You patted the spot next to you for him to sit. That is _my_ spot Michonne."

"You don't have a spot next to me. You use to have a spot. You have a date tomorrow, remember? You have a _Girlfriend and you_ can't hold my hand anymore. I was suffering from the need to blur. I am well now. You have cured me yet again. Plus, we have that thing at Lori's tomorrow too. I say all that to you to tell you I have to squeeze out a love-life and I am taking anyone that is tall enough, sexy enough and employed."

"It is obvious that you are flirting with him."

"I am. He's tall enough, sexy enough and I pray that he is employed."

"Are you trying to-"

I stopped in midsentence. I had no words for what she was trying to do that could convey how many ways I wanted to murder my friend Daryl.

"He asked you if I'm your girlfriend. Your response was 'Heck no.' Your exact words. Now leave me alone, Mr. Grimes." Michonne stormed out of the kitchen with two bowls of popcorn, leaving me again with my empty bowl and glass.

I was going to have to break up with Andrea. I checked my phone and read the text indicating that our date was reserved at a Dinner Theatre, Patsy Cline at 8pm. I had already done that with Michonne a month ago. I needed to buy a pack of cigarettes.

...

"Lori come and get your fucking ex-husband!"

"What's the hell with you two? Damn it, Rick!" Lori scolded seeing that her chair was knocked over in her large eat in kitchen. Her guest were outside on the Deck or gathering room. It was unseasonably warm that day.

"Do we have an understanding?" Rick glared at Daryl.

"Naw, we don't have an understanding." Daryl had taken the shove before Lori entered. He allowed Rick that because he was unsure of what was going on between his longtime friend and the woman he was introduced to the night before.

"This fool doesn't want me dancing with Michonne." Daryl informed Lori.

"Why not?" Lori asked her question directly to Rick.

"It has nothing to do with you, Lori." Rick responded dismissively.

"It's my party, and you are acting an ass, Rick."

"We have our kids here at this party, and this fucker is confusing the shit out of them." Rick insisted.

"What's being confused?" Lori was at a loss.

"Stay the fuck away from Michonne." Rick directed his response to Daryl.

"I asked your ass last night if you were going to have a problem!" Daryl snapped back.

"I have a problem with it," Rick admitted for the first time. He had to make it clear and without much thought he did. He made it known there was interest or Michonne was off limits..

"Fuck man! All you had to do was say that shit last night when I asked you if she's your girlfriend."

"Michonne and I-"

Lori helped her ex-husband who was obviously flustered, "It's very complicated, Daryl."

"I was just having a good, fucking time is all. I didn't mean any harm." Daryl declared to both Lori and Rick.

"Daryl leave Rick and me alone for a second."

"Sure."

Rick and Lori waited for Daryl to exit the kitchen to go out to the party that was in the backyard. A nice size gathering of people from Lori's Law Firm enjoying their time together after Thanksgiving but before Christmas.

"What's going on Rick?" Lori asked concerned. She watched Rick pick up the chair.

"Problem solved."

"How was Daryl a problem. He was dancing and having fun with Michonne. They seemed to hit it off. Genuinely hit it off."

"It confuses Carl and Judith. It will confuse them."

"Our children _are_ confused." Lori agreed. "They want to know if Michonne is your girlfriend because you have been acting weird."

"Michonne is not my girlfriend. _Friend_." Rick clarified. The autopilot was working randomly. He was losing control of his consistent narrative.

"I remember when I tried using that excuse years ago that _I_ and a certain someone were just friends. Co-workers. Remember?"

"It was bullshit, Lori. You and that guy _were_ messing around. You were messing around on me."

"I brought that up to point out what you told me, Rick. Not necessarily to rehash things with you, but I remember you stating that men and women CAN'T be friends."

"I still stand behind that! Other than the fact that Michonne and I _are_ _just_ _friends_. I haven't done anything-"

"Judith says you were holding Michonne's hand for a long time at your _Thanksgiving_ _Camping_."

"I have no idea what Judith would consider a LONG time. I held Judith's hand. She was in the lead. I had Michonne with my other hand, and she had Carls. We were crossing over a big creek bed on a Pippi Longstocking Adventure."

"Pippi Longstocking?"

"Something Michonne concocted with Judith. Discovering an abandoned chest on the other side that had things related to nothing really about Thanksgiving but Judith thought it was the best! Carl too."

"I have heard nothing but raves of what they discovered. Who put the Chest there?"

"Michonne. She thought of everything to keep the kids entertained."

"Carl said you were dreaming about Michonne and that you slept in the same tent on the last night."

"We all slept in the same tent on the last night." Rick corrected he didn't deny he had a dream about Michonne. A kissing dream.

"Really? You had an RV."

"One tent. Camping isn't camping if you aren't on the ground. Full fledge debate with Michonne about it. Kids agreed with me."

"Shared the same sleeping bag?"

"She didn't bring one because she thought camping meant inside the RV by nightfall. I was prepared to sleep on the outside of the bag but it was damn cold."

"Nothing happened in the sleeping bag?"

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Judith was curious about Michonne's fear of snakes but not your snake."

"What?"

"I know you, Rick. I like to _think_ I do. I know you wouldn't do anything inappropriate with our children in the same tent. I know you would use a high level of discretion and Judith had to have misheard."

"There was a talk of snakes and-"

"I am talking about your snake, Rick." Lori said pointedly.

"What? Carl and Judith were there..."

"So if they weren't-"

"I am done with this conversation." Rick said with finality.

"I was just teasing. Carl doesn't think anything is going on and he says so. He believes his father unable to do anything inappropriate. He doesn't find holding hands inappropriate either, and I haven't suggested anything to our children. Judith is 100% for Michonne to be your girlfriend, just so that you know, and I am too. I don't like Andrea."

"I am not serious about Andrea to care whether or not you approve of her."

"Really? Then why did you introduce her to me?"

"Because you happened to be in the elevator when we ran into you."

"You have a house in the area Rick. Why haven't you taken Andrea back to your place. Random expensive hotels all the time?"

"A couple of times. I don't have Andrea at my home because I am busy Lori. I have my kids and I haven't introduced her to them nor do I have plans to. I have alone time with my kids and or hanging with Michonne.

"What's going on with that? What're you going to do about Andrea. You have to make a decision. Stringing someone along is not a good thing to do and you aren't that type of person."

"I'm smoking."

"It's serious if you are smoking."

"Yes. I slowed everything down with Andrea, cancelled dates, didn't ask her even though I knew she expected me to ask her to the Bahamas and she is still there, waiting, just waiting."

"Kind of like Michonne, Huh?"

"Nothing like Michonne. I spend a lot of time at work or with Michonne."

"I overheard Michonne threatening to quit if you invited your very own girlfriend."

"We were in the midst of a significant merger, and I didn't need the distraction. Michonne gets easily annoyed, and I didn't want to waste time trying to explain to Andrea the trip was more Business than pleasure."

"But you played candy crush and went sightseeing 95% of the time you were there."

"We all went sightseeing."

"WE all went, but you two veered."

"Michonne is always veering."

"We all watched which direction you went when she did."

"I am going to head out of this party early. I have a date with Andrea to see Patsy Cline."

"Thought you and Michonne had already gone to see that?"

"We did and I hate repeats."

"What's the plan? Lori asked me.

I followed her out of the kitchen towards where the gathering was. My eyes were trained to find Michonne.

I responded to her question, "I am breaking up with Andrea and I am going to kick Daryl's ass. He's still flirting with Michonne."

"Rick wait. Don't! Shane, Grab Daryl." Lori begged.

...

Authors Note:

Why the continuous updates to this story? What is this story really about?

Michonne likes Movies as mentioned in one of these Chapters versus Television shows or she wants to show Rick the difference. This writing points out how a romantic comedy or relationship is drawn out with conflict episode after episode for whatever convoluted reason. A movie, you know boy meets girl they fall in love and live happily ever after by the end of the credits. I provided that in the first 6 or 7 Chapters, Movie version with not much detail of what got them together or if Rick was ever really into Michonne. How many years did we have to wait for Richonne to happen? For some of us we didn't even know it was happening until it happened. There was no obvious lead up to it for those that need and thrive on more than nuances. Some need more conversation between two people to add that yeah she said this and he was so giving her the impression that he was in to her.

This tale that I enjoy telling is layered as usual. Time lapses, time travel back and forth. Going back and forth as I do with my knitting (I don't knit) so compare it with a spider web (I'm not a spider).

How can one tell? Well, Michonne would refer to him as Mr. Grimes before the Blur and Rick after the blur. Constant use of Mr. Grimes indicates Pre-blur. Little or sometimes major things are said or pointed out in a way to indicate this is pre-blur or after blurred has occurred. Halloween, Thanksgiving... the slow burn that leads to the Office Christmas Party that resulted in the forced blurring but seeing or getting a clue to Ricks behavior, in general, indicates this wasn't something he was keen on NOT doing at some point. Again, if I were a much better writer I probably wouldn't have to explain...lol. I should probably put this at the beginning of this story come to think of it. (Scratching my own head)

I plan to remove all this gibberish above (A/N) and let this story stand on it's own like the others that have heads scratching in general.

...

I will update Infidelity 06/23/2017 and I really want to close out The Check. I know I keep saying it but I will, I will, I will. I write _this_ story Highly Inappropriate because it is at my fingertips.

Falling in Love I had to step away from because I was about to make it real crazy and I think it should probably be a simple syrupy love story and not go to far down the Rabbit hole and I was about to send it there. I love the Rabbit hole. I have to re-evaluate.

Dear Diary and Casket (for anyone who cares lol) I will be updating soon.

Honey Bee I will post 06/23/2017 an update. To me it's the most odd story I have and I know many would say Dear Diary or Casket is the oddest. LOL

Any other story that I have not mentioned I will have to re-read to refresh my memory.


	23. Dix Pix

_"I love being in love, but I also love other things, like not being jealous, overly sensitive, or needy. "_  
 _― Dark Jar Tin Zoo, Love Quotes for the Ages. Specifically Ages 19-91._

* * *

I have never had a sexual conversation with someone that stimulated all my senses the way that I was experiencing with Michonne. I was in overload. I couldn't listen to another word from that woman who was going to have me make a rash decision and muck up my life even more by driving by her house and impregnating her. I wanted Michonne that night, but she came with this unfathomable blur requirement. The glimmer scared me. She barely whispered my first name, and I was ready to pull out my already throbbing penis and rub one out or go to her home and impregnate her. No condom. I chose Andrea.

I had already crossed the line with Andrea on more than one occasion. She and I had some common interest, and we are similar in temperament. As far as interest, at one point I knew what they were but with Michonne on my brain I have no memory other than Andrea was good in bed.

I was at Andrea's house barely through the front door. It was a little after 2:30 am, and I had her nightgown off and her panties down, condom on. Every thrust was for Michonne. I wanted Michonne, but I was back on with Andrea due to this request. Fuck.

"Are you enjoying Patsy Cline?" Andrea asked curious based on my behavior.

"Yeah. Sure." I was distracted.

"How did you get the bruise?"

"A fight."

"A fight?"

"Long story."

"Was it worth it, coming to blows?"

"Situation resolved."

"Who won?"

"I would say I did. He backed off."

"I have a feeling I am not going to get the story behind the bruised jaw other than it involved another guy who knows to back off..."

"Are you going to eat anything?" I wanted her to concentrate on her plate. I wanted to concentrate on my phone.

"I am very picky, Rick."

"How's the water?"

"How many smoke breaks did you just take?"

"About that-"

"You are distracted, Rick. You keep checking your phone."

"Michonne isn't responding," I answered honestly.

"Michonne?" Andrea questioned.

"Wait. She's responding." I had Andrea on mute.

"Is this business related?" Andrea asked and received no response.

 **Michonne** : I can't believe you. I was waiting for you to mention Daryl.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Are you at the movies with him or is he in your bed?

 **Michonne:** I have other people interested in entertaining me.

 **Mr. Grimes** : I only know of Daryl.

 **Michonne** : Pay attention to your date.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Where are you? Really?

 **Michonne** : You have sent me so many texts. I am trying to figure out what to respond to and what to ignore.

 **Mr. Grimes** : Where are you?

 **Michonne** : Mabel's Cafe, right about now, but you rather believe that I am just sitting around continuing to wait for you. Not so, Mr. Heck no. You didn't even introduce me as a friend. Everything has to remain imaginary with you.

 **Mr. Grimes** : You have the imagination.

 **Michonne:** You don't have to be on a date to break up with someone. There is text, There is by phone, postal mail, block and ignore. I am pissed off with myself for allowing you to string me along, and then you try to prevent me from having any love connection with someone else. You are officially Friend Zoned, sir.

 **Mr. Grimes** : You want Daryl? Go ahead. You have my blessing.

 **Michonne:** I don't need your blessing.

 **Mr. Grimes:** I am done. This was getting out of hand. I am stepping back and re-evaluating. My behavior. Everything.

 **Michonne:** Interesting you know how to break things off with me by text. Convenient you can do it when you are on a date with her.

 **Mr. Grimes:** You and I weren't dating. Ever.

 **Michonne:** I am giving you an opportunity to stop texting. You want to talk call me. I am outside the Café.

Andrea sat back and watched the man she had admired and could have easily fallen madly in love with engaging in a back and forth with his Personal Assistant while on a supposed date with her. It was a rare occasion to be in his company in this way, and the sex between them was good but scarce as were the dates. Andrea wasn't a fool. She was relegated to a booty call while the woman Rick was going back and forth with enjoyed all the other perks of a relationship with him.

Mr. Grimes removed himself from the table and called Michonne as he exited the dinner theater.

"I am your boss. I am officially apologizing for my behavior and I should have kept this completely, strictly a work relationship. I don't want to talk about it any further and would like to cease any additional texting between us."

"Okay." Click.

He was too preoccupied to break it off with Andrea officially. Absentmindedly he got in his car when Michonne wouldn't answer his calls or text. He had more to verbally say. Michonne had him angry and insecure. He forgot that Andrea rode with him to the Dinner Theater and she awaited his return. Mr. Grimes was in his car driving to Michonne's home to find that she wasn't home. She wasn't home at all.

Mr. Grimes drank all through Sunday. He pledged to have his shit together by Monday morning. Distance. Strictly work relationship. Appropriate.

...

"You are delirious, and you only have a temperature of 101. I have to Google whether or not that is delirium stage, Mr. Grimes. We can add it to your list of ailments once I verify."

"I am dying, MIchonne."

"I plan to put regular physical check ups back on your schedule and you are going to go."

"If I die I won't need them. I have never had this before."

"I don't want any talk back about it, Mr. Grimes." Michonne began to Google. "If I had children, I guess I would know these things about critical body temperature. I am not Google so that you know. I have to Google."

"I have never felt like this before. I can't breathe. I have a headache. I have chills. I have thrown up. I am dying."

"You have a temperature. I gave you some medicine. It's not instantaneous, Mr. Grimes. You have to give the medicine and the chicken soup time to move through your system and knock you out. If you don't feel better when you wake up, we will go to the hospital."

"I don't want to go to the hospital."

"I told you not to get the flu shot. I told you. You don't listen to me. Since you don't listen to me, I hope you listen to the doctor who will tell you definitively if you are going to die. Only a doctor can inform you of that. If you tell me exactly how old you are I confirm one way or another, Mr. Grimes?"

"I did not get the flu shot. I do listen to you and If I am old enough to be your Dad than you are old enough to be my mother, Michonne."

"If we are close in age why do you act like an old man?"

"I don't want my death to be a back and forth with you Michonne. You may get the last word in my final breath and think it means you are right or won."

"What is it that you want me to do?"

"Stay with me while I sleep."

"Me?"

"No funny business, Michonne. I want you here with me, just in case."

"Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"I called you."

Michonne held me through the night. I remember that. I had chills and she warmed me with her body. There wasn't any funny business until morning and I had to piss and wash up. The man in the mirror would never have imagined a friend like Michonne. I had to fight the part of my brain that saw Michonne as something more _and_ she was asleep in my bed. I felt better and I thought that was the reason she was happy and smiling to see me emerge from my bathroom. Morning wood.

"Did you snap a picture?" I froze in front of her sitting up in my bed, fully dressed with her camera phone in her hands.

"Yep."

...


	24. Designated Versus Personal

_"Every cell in my body was telling me that he was my happily ever after."_  
 _― C.J. English, Affairytale _

* * *

Monday morning I was in the office before him. I had _my_ Starbucks, and I would usually have his cup as was routine. I didn't.

I began working at my highest level and had him on my ignore list. Anything he would need work related was already two weeks in advance sent to him. There wasn't anything to converse about. At my highest level, I was going to push him out a month. He wouldn't have reason to speak to me for anything for a full month. I was determined to piece together the GO Stop logical puzzle that no one seemed to understand in a manner that was conducive to the goals set forth.

Mr. Grimes, waltzes in an hour late. He had the look of a man who didn't sleep one wink and was in need of Starbucks. He was going to die today, and I was going to watch his meltdown if he didn't walk his Heck no ass into his office and get from my desk like I forgot to get something for him.

"Can I help you, Mr. Grimes?"

"Where's my Starbucks?"

"At Starbucks."

"I'm going down to the cafeteria, Mr. Grimes, would you like me to bring you a cup back up?" Carol offered.

"Yes. Please, Carol." Rick was exasperated and hung over from a night of drinking home alone the night before.

"How do you like your coffee, Mr. Grimes?" Carol asked.

"Black." Rick stated succinctly.

His request hung there. Flagrant if intended or not.

Carol was clearly amused. "Different than how I like my coffee. I usually like my coffee blonde and sweet."

"Minimal cream and not too sweet. Michonne knows how I like my coffee. I mean Starbucks knows how I like my coffee."

"Well the cafeteria's coffee isn't Starbucks, but I am willing to try to get this right for you, Mr. Grimes. Consider this coffee from Carol." Carol referenced herself to annoy Michonne in a teasing light hearted way.

"Thank you, Carol. I will be in my office for the rest of the day." Mr. Grimes informed without actually moving in the direction of his office.

Carol headed to the cafeteria to give the two alone time. She sensed something was off and with the two in the same vicinity, she knew a lover's quarrel must have transpired from their Thanksgiving Holiday that had the office on all levels blowing up with gossip about a confrontation that took place in the parking garage.

"Why are you still standing in front of my desk, Mr. Grimes." Michonne stopped working.

"I am making sure you and I aren't going to have any problems in this working relationship."

"Go to your office and sit down." Michonne placed her attention back on her computer screen.

"I didn't sleep at all last night."

"Looks that way."

"I have no one to talk to about this, you know?"

"GO Stop offers a free counseling 800line for their employees. I think this would be a very good time for you to call them up to find out if it is a invaluable resource."

"You didn't have to make it so glaring that something changed." Mr. Grimes critiqued the lack of her still providing his Starbucks as revealing to others.

"How do you like your coffee could have been followed up quickly with little cream not too sweet."

"Carol didn't take it like-"

"I will no longer be party to any more charades, façade, make belief, we act like we are, everyone can see that we are, but they are crazy to think that we are, and I am even crazier to endure it. I'm done, Mr. Grimes. You don't have to tell me twice even though you had to tell me over a hundred times. It just took awhile for my brain to relay it to my heart."

"How about me. Things affect me too. I'm struggling with this."

"Struggle no more. I am free. You are free. You also have, Mr. Herschel from Stop Stop Insurance coming around the glass Partition to meet with you in two minutes. Get away from me and never talk to me again. Everything we do will be by work email, Instant Messages or through Carol. I am done, or you will make me quit."

"I am not making you quit. Cowards quit. You aren't a coward."

"Leave me alone, Mr. Grimes. Hello, Mr. Green. You are just in time for Mr. Grimes to walk you into his office where he was just about to go and _sit_ with you."

* * *

"So you were on a date?" Sasha sat next to Michonne at her desk on the eighth floor. Mr. Grimes was on a conference call in his office with the door closed. Carol was gone to immerse herself in decorating for the Christmas office party that was approaching in less than two weeks.

"Yeah."

"You don't seem enthused?"

"All I got from it was a movie I didn't want to watch, a half eaten sandwich and a kiss on the cheek."

"Does he want to see you again?"

"He says he wants to but he will bring his kids along. I don't think he's into me."

"He's crazy not to be."

"Tyrese said I was white man ready."

"What?"

"Yeah. I didn't know what to do with it."

"Did he revoke your black card."

"He cut it up right in my face."

"I don't know what to say, Michonne." Sasha tried to stifle a giggle.

"It's been said before. Even my ex Mike said I was better suited for a white man."

"That's some crazy shit."

"I can't find any man that get's me. It's not about race. It's about finding a connection. I'm having a hard time snagging the one at the top and I can't entice the one at the bottom. My man must be in the middle somewhere. I am sure there is someone I can connect with and he wants to stay connected."

"You are talking about something we all want. I'm still looking for a connection, but everyone that I have come in contact with seems only to want to hook up."

"I want more than that, but right now I can't even get a hookup."

"Well, you texted me about a guy you met at Mr. Grimes that you thought I could find a love connection with."

"His name's Daryl Dixon. Motorcycles. He provides them for television shows. He's rich."

"Daryl Dixon. He's rich huh? Birkin bag rich?"

Michonne nods.

"Friends with Mr. Grimes. They grew up together. I was going to take him for myself, but they fought."

"There was a fight, Michonne?"

"Yes. I'm not talking about shoving but a fist fight at Lori's party last Saturday."

"Really? Mr. Grimes and his friend Daryl?"

"Yes. If you see him walking around with a black and blue jaw that was what happened."

"He got beat up?"

"No. Daryl got a few in, but Mr. Grimes had to be pulled off of Daryl."

"I don't understand this thing you have with Mr. Grimes. You sure you two haven't had sex?"

"I would remember even though he would try to find reasons to walk around with amnesia."

"What is his problem? Rumors are already going around about you two."

"Rumor?"

"I am not adding to the rumor mill. I just listen, and people are already speculating. I have never been around you two in the same room at the same time, so I have no idea if it is evident."

"Michonne-Ms. Benton," Mr. Grimes quickly corrected himself when he noticed Michonne wasn't alone at her desk. "Is this business or pleasure?"

"Pleasure."

"Oh. Okay. Ms. Benton I need you in this virtual conference. Your presence is requested by Deanna our Operations and Finance Officer. She's impressed with your level of expertise. She has some questions for you about what was prepared. I made sure she knew you did it."

"Talk to you later, Sasha." Michonne sighed. She stood from her desk and vanished into Mr. Grimes office.

Sasha couldn't help but notice how Mr. Grimes was trying very hard to not check out Michonne's ass in that Pencil Skirt.

* * *

"It's Movie Night!" Carl exclaimed.

"Yes. I hope you and Judith have a great time with your Dad." Michonne laughed.

"Oh My God! Judith here's the phone I am not getting anywhere with Ms. Michonne."

"Carl, talk to your Dad." Michonne suggested.

"I did."

"And?"

"He says to talk to you. He says to call you and ask you why you aren't here for Movie Night. He says you have the answers to why?"

"Your Dad knows exactly why and I am of the mind to tell him-"

"Please do that. Please talk to him. He says it's not his fault that the movie he has sucks." Carl gives the phone over to his sister Judith.

"Ms. Michonne?"

"Hi Judith!"

"Dad has ruined our Friday. He can't do Fridays without you. He didn't have anything prepared."

"I'm sorry, Judith."

"Carl is really mad and he wants answers to why you aren't here and if this is what we have to look forward to, then we are boycotting Daddy."

"Boycotting?"

"Yes. We are going to make signs and place them all over the TV and on different places in the house to show him we mean business."

"Where's your Dad at? Like, right now where is he?"

"On the couch playing Candy Crush. He's waiting for his lives. He keeps saying he needs life or A life."

"I have no words to what you are telling me, Judith."

"Carl won't help him get to the next level. Carl is M. A. D."

"Your Dad needs help in knowing what you guys want and he's open to suggestions."

"I'd suggested to see his snake. The one that you aren't afraid of and he told me to finish my pizza and that there is no such snake and he wants all talk to cease about it immediately."

"You misheard that conversation in the Tent, Judith. It's called eavesdropping. My grandmother always said an eavesdropper never heard anything correctly."

"Then what were you talking about?"

"Something about an old man and a cane."

"What?"

"Exactly! Listen to your father. He is very particular about how conversations should go and things that are appropriate. If you are still confused, Judith. ask your mother to explain. Tell her I asked for her help."

"Well, we suggested you to be here and he said to call."

"That was his suggestion?"

"He said you might be on a date."

"He said that?"

"I don't understand why he thinks you would date anyone when you have only dated him. He confuses me."

"You too?"

"Carl doesn't think you two were dating."

"Carl's just like his Dad."

"I asked Daddy if you broke up and he said-"

"Judith must you repeat everything? Hand me the phone."

"She's not on a date Daddy. Bye, Ms. Michonne. See you next, Friday."

"Michonne?"

"Mr. Grimes."

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean for Carl to actually call you."

"No problem."

"Judith-"

"You don't have to explain."

"It's Friday evening and you aren't here."

"Nope."

"I'm not good at this."

"You've proven that."

"I've messed up somewhere along the way with you."

"I can point it out and I promise you it wasn't randomly somewhere."

"I've been kicking myself if I lost you as a friend."

"You have to acknowledge me, Mr. Grimes. I need claiming. I still assert that if you don't want to claim me there is someone out there in the world that will."

"I did it today, Michonne."

"You did what?"

"I made you the company's Designated Driver for the Christmas Party. I thought that was my roundabout way of-"

"Designated Driver? I was the unassigned Designated Driver last year, Mr. Grimes."

"Last year you drove me home without incident, Michonne. I trust you. This year everyone will know that you _are_ the Designated Driver." Rick tried his emphasis to _Designated_ Driver like Michonne would emphasize _Personal_ Assistant.

"What the hell?"


	25. She Wants Me To Murder Her

_"I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism."_  
 _― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love _

* * *

To get Michonne back, I chose to make her my designated driver. Originally it was for anyone that would need a ride home, but I had other intentions, and Michonne wasn't making it easy. She was pissed even more, and I wasn't sure how much was about Daryl or the Designation.

I lost the friendship with Daryl over her. I wasn't prepared to lose her too. She was cold to me and very warm and friendly to others. I didn't like it. I tried to stay in my office or in meetings as much as possible. I tried following whatever was on my schedule without deviation.

Michonne acted as if life just continued while mine seemed to have come to a screeching halt. I still couldn't bring myself to commit to anything that wasn't work-related.

Random hookup texts were appearing as usual, and I deleted or ignored. The text's from Andrea went un-replied to other than I did text that I was Sorry for leaving her at the Dinner Theater. I was hoping to see a breakup text from her but got random things about her day. I never replied. I was hoping my lack of interest would just kill that or bring it to a silent, slow death.

I found a video on my phone. I pressed play.

"Hey, are you listening to me?"

"I am listening, Michonne."

"I am a firm believer in finding something that we both can enjoy."

"Both of us?"

"It means spending more time together seeking it out."

"An adventure."

"I think you like living on the edge."

"Is that what you call this?"

"Yes. Look how high mine is compared to yours?"

"The one I have has a poor design."

"The design is good. You just have to run with it, Mr. Grimes. You have to run with it for the wind to take it. Look at me. Are you listening?"

Mr. Grimes couldn't help the smile on his face as he watched the video that he had on his phone of Michonne on the beach flying a kite. The windy day at his beach house in Del Mar with the sunlight cascading off of Michonne dark skin. Radiance was perfectly emphasized in her beauty and everything that made her breathtaking when she smiled or insisted that he listen.

"Michonne, I am listening. I'm always listening to you. My ears are trained to hear you." Mr. Grimes laughter recorded in the backdrop of the video along with his insistence.

"Excuse me, sir." Carol stood in the doorway of his office.

Mr. Grimes quickly turned off the video on his phone. He wasn't sure how long Carol was standing there or how much she may have heard.

"Yes, Carol?" Mr. Grimes turned his phone face down.

Michonne wanted you to know she has gone for the day."

"Thank you for letting me know. Are you leaving next?"

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, you haven't given the building anything more to talk about for the last week. Here it is Monday again. Thursday is the Office Christmas Party."

"What is it you want to confirm with me, Carol?"

"Michonne has a problem with being Designated again. You can designate me. I don't mind." Carol offered.

"I've designated Michonne and no one else."

"Well, I've designated four more for you so it wouldn't appear inappropriate. I figured you didn't think your singular designated through, Good Night, sir."

"Good Night, Carol."

* * *

"You and I go back a long time Grimes. I like to think I know you. I like to believe we can shoot the breeze so to speak."

"We can Deanna."

"I am an officer of your company." Deanna stated.

"Yes, you are."

"I've been with you through its infancy."

"Yes." Mr. Grimes was unsure where this conversation was veering. It was the third one in the last 180 days. His mind raced to have an advantage. He had a good idea he was on speaker phone.

"We want Michonne in San Diego." Deanna cut to the chase.

"Well, about that-"

"Are the rumors true?"

"I don't want to discuss-"

"We need to address it, Grimes. It must be discussed. We've come to a vote, and again I was the one appointed to talk to you. There's a few that are under the impression that there is something Highly Inappropriate between you and Ms. Benton."

"That can't be further from a lie. " Rick felt Michonne silliness plague his vocabulary.

"Exactly how close to the truth is it?"

"Several degrees from being completely and utterly true."

"Okay. If 10 degree is equivalent to Hey, I know her name. 20 degrees is I know her pet cats name is Cheezy and-"

"She doesn't have a cat."

"Talk to me, Grimes. Not in degrees. What level?"

"Degrees, 85 and climbing."

"Hell. This isn't good."

"No. It's not."

"Where's Ms. Benton's mind on all this?"

"Where my mind is, no doubt."

"Where is that, Grimes?"

"Finding ways to continue with our nonsense or how Michonne would put it, Blur."

"For the love of this company and its reputation?"

"I don't think I am capable of stopping. We have a friendship that just grew like ivy. I am 90 percent sure I will not stop."

"I thought it was at 85 degrees?"

"Talking about her has taken it to 90, Deanna."

"Inappropriate."

"How much time do I have to propose this job offer to her?"

"Do you know of anyone that could come out of the woodwork and oppose it? Claim that you were inappropriate with them and failed to offer the same opportunity."

"No." Rick lied. Andrea was a loose end.

"Good. We would like to have her with us in San Diego, but you seem to fight with the idea of keeping her all to yourself." Deanna understood in more ways than anyone in the room with her was aware.

The conversation continued for a few minutes longer. When Deanna disconnected she looked at the two people that sat in the room privy to the call that was on speakerphone.

Rick was unaware of who was in the room but it did not deter him from speaking about what was rumored. He had spoken candidly enough about his relationship with Michonne even if it was riddled with Riddles.

"What do you think, Deanna?" Donna asked after the call concluded.

"I believe that if Michonne takes the offer to come here some of us may have to pack our boxes. She's very good with numbers. If the math doesn't add up she will find ways to cut positions. Increase sales, productivity and make GO Stop number 1. She's good at finding waste and eliminating it. She's a beast. We can only pray that she declines the offer."

"Wait you were gung-ho for her Deanna. I am confused." Karen leaned forward.

"I didn't know she would have the FULL backing of Mr. Grimes." Deanna sat back.

* * *

I found another video. I pressed play. It was only a five second clip of Michonne entering the Jacuzzi where I was relaxing that night. Poolside. It was chilly out but the Jacuzzi was heated. Nice and warm. She wore the two piece that I liked but I never told her. A five second video of Michonne and her body.

"Why in the hell did you splash me?"

"You need to behave, Michonne."

"I am behaving!" Michonne splashed back. "I am over here and you are over there. What more do you want, Mr. Grimes?"

"What is your passcode?" Mr. Grimes asked Michonne.

"6969. What is yours?" Michonne gave Mr. Grimes one of her seductive glances.

"0385."

"My birth month and year?" Michonne gasped.

"Coincidence."

He avoids the stare that indicated she knew better. Mr. Grimes takes Michonne's phone and finds her storage of photos after giving her his phone. They sat in the Jacuzzi across from each other. "I need to monitor what pictures you have stored of me, Michonne."

"You better not delete my Dick Pix, Mr. Grimes."

"I thought we were square on that? Sharing right?" Mr. Grimes smirked.

"We are finally in agreement." Michonne smiled.

"How did you get this one? I don't remember this." Mr. Grimes marveled.

"Which one?"

"The one with you and me smiling sitting side by side." His arm was on the back of Michonne's chair as they stared in the same direction. A true Kodak moment.

"Judith sent that to me. She took it while we were at the Dinner Theater. Patsy Cline." Michonne took a glance and went back to sifting through his phone. She was done with checking his private messages. She made some quick snippy replies and deleted contacts from random women requesting his time. Michonne went back to the photos in his phone.

"It's a nice picture of us." Mr. Grimes continued to admire the picture of them together. They made a good looking couple.

"What are you doing, Mr. Grimes?" Michonne paused from sifting through numerous nonsensical photos of her in what she considered awkward angles.

"Sending it to myself."

"Don't delete anything," Michonne warned.

"You have a lot of photo's Michonne." Rick scrolled slowly.

"I see that you do too. There are Eight so far I don't like."

"Don't delete." Mr. Grimes made a move to go over to Michonne to grab his phone. He was unaware that she had gone through his messages and contacts.

"Ughh. My ass looks huge in this picture. I have to delete." Michonne groaned.

"No, Michonne. That's my favorite photo." Mr. Grimes whined, not sure which one Michonne was referring, but he was sure it was his favorite.

"Favorite? The photo is either distorted , or I have to go on a very serious diet."

"Don't delete that picture. You don't need to diet. Your body is perfect."

Perfect. Sexy. Mr. Grimes had photos of Michonne. Mr. Grimes had them streaming in random succession while he caressed his throbbing penis through his underwear. His breathing labored in finally finding his rhythm and what he imagined would be Michonne taking him to climax before removing his garment and going to work in his shower once the water was warm under the jets. His hand gripped his member while photo's of Michonne went through their cycle. The ones he considered sexy, provocative, alluring while ensuring his phone didn't get wet he ejaculated silently down the shower drain. He toweled off and didn't bother with pajamas after moisturizing his skin. He laid atop his bed covers completely nude staring at the photo that he stopped in its succession.

The photo. It was the photo of Michonne across from him almost a month ago in the heated Jacuzzi at his home. The back of her beautiful black ass in the two-piece when she climbed out because she was pissed by his response to the Marry, Fuck, Murder question.

He realized he was supposed to answer that he would Marry Michonne, Fuck Michonne, and Murder her too.

"Why would I want to murder you, Michonne?"

"I asked you to pick from Beth-"

"Who in the hell is Beth?"

"...who loves to giggle every time she has you in her line because you love Strawberry Jell-O. She's young and blonde-"

"What perverted hell scenario choices are you giving me here, Michonne?"

..and then Carol and Me."

"Why would I marry a child or Carol. I would Marry you. You are the only one I would want to Fuck and I think Carol has been spreading rumors about us so I would want to Murder her. Michonne. Michonne. Carol. Now my turn-"

"Why would you feel passionate about anyone else to murder them? I don't get it."

"I don't get you." I replied back stumped for a moment.

I revealed something to Michonne and I was eager for my turn to see who her choices would be, her ideal, since her blurring made absolutely no sense to me.

"I know." Michonne began to emerge from the water.

"Where are you going?"

"Your kids will be here in 15 minutes. I have some ideas about Thanksgiving and I plan to present them to the group. I hope you have come up with suggestions that are outside the box, Mr. Grimes."

"What do people normally do on Thanksgiving, Michonne? I think that is the plan I will present."

"Boo. Thumbs down from me already. Think of something, Mr. Grimes. Your lack of contribution will cause you to not have an active voice when the next Holiday comes around."

"The next holiday is Christmas. Consisting of a tree and gifts. You have something else in mind, Michonne."

"Sneaky. You are not going to steal my idea, Mr. Grimes."

"You are so fascinating to me, Michonne."

"I am going in to your guest room to shower real quick and get my mind right about your choice to murder Carol."

"Are you serious, Michonne?"

"Don't worry about me, Mr. Grimes worry about the woman that could drive you to murder."

A/N:

Next chapter will deal with after blurring. I plan to squeeze three to four more chapter before this baby is put to bed in complete status.


	26. Long Distance

_"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."_  
 _― Dr. Seuss _

* * *

"You know the first thing you do on New Year's is what you will do all Year?"

"The first thing was I kissed you, Michonne."

"You will be kissing me all year." I snuggled closer to him that evening. We were at his parents house on the River. I was reliving our first day of the year in my mind as I lay on his chest. I was surprised that he made sure we shared the same room and his parents had no problems with the arrangement.

"How would I get anything done. You like kissing." He laughed.

"We will wake up with each other, Rick and we have everyday since that day. Well almost everyday since that day."

"Based on a superstition? We have already proven false with all the time you have been spending in San Diego."

"Call it what you will, I'm happy. I am so incredibly happy. I am on top of the world, and I don't want to ever come down, Rick. Ever." I smiled down into his face.

He had a look of complete befuddlement.

"What?" I asked.

"What you feel right now, have you ever felt it for anyone else?"

"How often do you think blurring happens, Rick?"

"You've said you had sex with other people that weren't able to bring you to-, so I figured there had to be some blurring."

"I have blurred with no one other than you. You were my first, Rick. You will be my only blur. I have never felt this feeling where a person was so right for me than how I feel about you. Don't you feel it too?"

"I was drunk, Michonne. I don't remember much."

"Blur isn't just about sex, Rick. You were blurring with me way before we officially blurred.

"Please tell the truth here, lady. Which version are we going with again? Refresh my memory."

"At what point do you think I wanted to blur with you, Rick?"

"When my kids insisted you come with us for dinner. There was something different about how you approached me after. You inserted yourself."

"Suggesting bowling was inserting myself when you had no idea what to do after Pizza?"

"Yes."

"We had pizza again, that following Friday and I suggested miniature golf, was that inserting?"

"Yes."

"Friday after that we had Pizza and I suggested go-carts that was _inserting_?"

"Yes."

"No. It was a Father, _YOU_ , not knowing what to do with his own children."

"I know what to do with my children, Michonne."

"Nothing fun you don't."

"I think movie night was born a month or two after?" Rick hedged a guess.

"Everything started from pizza. Pizza, Rick. I had pizza with Carl and Judith, you just happened to pay for our good time, and you've been chaperoning us ever since. That's the version I was using. What was your version?"

"Inserting. That's my version."

"Really?"

" _Really_ never thought you would want to have pizza with us. I would have never guessed that my kids or I could or would mean so much to you."

* * *

"Rick, we have the girls with us. We have been approved. Nothing to it but to do it."

"You don't sound very enthused. I guess the enormity of the situation has just hit you as it has me."

"I have never been to a Prison."

"I haven't either."

We were both hesitant, and it was felt by the twins who were looking upon us to come through for them. They were excited. They hadn't had an opportunity to see their father in almost a year.

"Are we going to get to see our Daddy?" Abigail asked. She was holding on to Rick's hand while Billi Jo held onto the other.

Rick took in a deep breath before he responded, avoiding eye contact with Michonne. "Yes. You will."

"Yay."

Rick knew he agreed to this. He had provided the information needed when requested and was granted visitor approval. It was a wish from the twins grandmother that the Twins had an opportunity to see their father from time to time. It helped her son with his depression, and she made the argument that if he really wanted to help that was a way. The enormity hadn't hit Rick until the electric wired door opened and the foursome was called to enter the Georgia Correctional Facility along with other families that were there to see love ones.

Their father was actually a tall handsome black guy. African American in every sense of the word which made me wonder if the mother was actually white or Hispanic. His hair was freshly cut, and he was dressed in orange. The girls ran to him, and the guards allowed it. He wasn't what I imagined especially when the girls said that Rick reminded them of him. I guess any man trying to do hair...

Tears were shared along with kisses and whispered conversations between Father and daughters. It was like we didn't exist, and we were okay with that, Rick and I standing on the outside watching a restricted world around us. Girlfriends, Mothers, Grandmothers visiting loved ones who were incarcerated. Mostly brown faces of all shades. Guards standing, guarding, watching. Vending machines. I had coins. I had plenty for the girls to supply drinks and snacks for their father and for themselves. They were happy.

Three hours. I think Rick and I were on the same _I can only tolerate three hours before they would have to lock us up_. I read his body language, and he read mine. This interaction with his daughters was a must and needed often just not provided or supervised by us. We had to devise a plan. We were out of our element.

* * *

"Are you done in there, Michonne?"

"Yeah. I am done." I exited the master bathroom.

We were in Rick's home in his room. He was propped up with his back against the headboard waiting for me to appear with my dreads wrapped above my head in a white towel and matching long white terry cloth robe.

"I have to be sure. You bringing up the topic James Baldwin and _that_ movie, I have to make sure I am as politically correct with you. One wrong word from me can cause the whole meaning to change like I can't say the word Ne-."

"No, you can not. The N. I. G... word is prohibited hands down, but the N. E. is prohibited just in general. And just because I just quoted James Baldwin 'Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced' you knowing that it is or was a quote from James Baldwin is truly astonishing, Rick."

"How can I ever forget our very awkward movie night?" Rick shook his head as if he could forego the memory.

"I Am Not Your Negro opened up a dialogue. Got some of that crazy stuff out of your brain and into the atmosphere to never ever be repeated as long as you live."

"That word is in the title. I can't ever say the title?"

"What is your point in verbalizing the title Rick if we both can read?"

"I will remind you of that when we have subtitled movies and you expect _ME_ to read aloud. I want to say you didn't have to bring that movie out to make a point about the Z formation, Michonne. That was very extreme."

"If you keep yourself segregated from the truth how would you ever know you were being dressed down by possibly a flamboyant gay man or a gay man in drag? The only thing consistent with your story is that he was a person of color and you thought I was going to bring that type of drama when I first began working for you. You were even bold enough to tell me that you would have never hired me if you had a choice."

"Are we going to rehash this?"

"No."

"Good! I'm not going back to the prison. I will find someone who can pass a background check and can get on the visitor list to take his daughters to him. I am not going back." Rick declared.

"I know, Rick."

"How?"

"Because I am not going back either. The heaviness and the layers of it. Feeling everyone's essence in that one hug at greeting and the same hug at leaving."

"He seems like a nice guy," Rick noted.

"You know there are a lot of nice guys in Prison and not so nice. Their niceness is not what got them behind bars but action. Crime admitted, committed or being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I agree with you when we were talking about it. The Walking Dead. You referred to it as a hell hole. The Prison."

"Shit hole. Now imagine Zombies on the outside and we are finding refuge on the inside of a prison? Do you really think the heavy negative energy would have just poofed into thin air? Not even on the roof could a person find positivity."

"I've not given that aspect any thought. I don't think the Walking Dead would have a reason to convey that when Zombies were literally on the outside trying to get in. Maybe if they had you to narrate it would give the viewers every reason to mute you like the scenes when that young girl would sing."

"Mute me?"

"You are nuking it. You told me to tell you when you are nuking. Wouldn't I be remiss in my duties if I didn't inform you of that?" Rick smiled at me.

"Now you get me?"

"Only when you nuke things I wonder if you are borderline neurotic or if it is shared condition that we will both discover we have when this blur dies down."

"The blur never dies Rick."

"Never?"

"Nope. No cure. Always impaired. Zombie-like state. You want me. I want you."

"Now you tell me this shit?"

"It was in the small print."

"Show it to me."

"Okay."

Michonne began to disrobe. The towel from her hair hit the floor along with her robe. Rick was able to see every detail of what was in the small print, and he didn't care.

* * *

Needy.

I have never had a man that needed me. He needed reassurance, and I wasn't equipped with the ability to spot it when I was busy. I was busy with my new position and becoming an internet sensation myself. The latter was very unexpected.

I had anticipated the focus to go on Rick, and it was my reason to find him a Dance partner for the next GO Stop Commercial. I hadn't realized two things. He wasn't going to dance with anyone else, and there was an audience surveyed that would like to see me again as his paramour.

I've been in relationships where I was the one actively pursuing, calling and texting. I didn't like it. I didn't like being blown off or ignored. I tried to not do that with Rick. I honestly could not keep up with his calls or text. I was busy. I reflected on the times where I doubted the other guy that I was with and realized that maybe he was busy. He, the man from my past had garnered the benefit of the doubt four years too late.

"Sorry, raincheck?" I asked over the phone.

"Raincheck?"

"Yes."

"We had this planned. You told me to make reservations, and I made reservations, Michonne."

"This project is more detailed than I thought, Rick. Operations and Finance aren't a cake walk. I have to make some decisions on wiping out a whole wasteful department that sit around brainstorming different ways to Greet a customer on the phone for Customer Service. They're going to have to either take phone calls or go in the unemployment line. Nuance shit can't be justified."

"They have an ear-"

"Their ear will be with a headset greeting with a tried and true, 'Thank you for calling Go Stop Insurance, How may I help you today?' Appreciate the call and get down to business. Insurance has changed. It shouldn't be about the warm and fuzzy it should be about Adequate coverage and regaining the person to their original state. Cater to the call for anything extra but Appreciate and get to business."

"What's the final figures?"

"300k in that department and there are 4 other similar setups that we can cut. I also noticed some discrepancies in other areas-"  
"What's the final figures?"

"I've sent them to you. I need you sitting down when you are going over them, okay?"

"When are you coming home?"

"Home?" I questioned the word that stood out the most to me.

"I can cancel the reservations. When can I expect you through the door and in my pajama top, Michonne?"

"What's going on Rick? I'm working here. I want virtual where ever you are, but it hasn't panned out that way. I am in San Diego. You are in Georgia. I don't know when you are going to see me on a consistent basis unless you plan to offer me the position that I told you I really want. If that is the case, I would say, June for a quickie would be a perfect time or do you prefer Fall if you rather have something planned out?"

"Are you telling me I have to wait Three weeks to get a quickie, Michonne?"

"I don't think blurring long distance is healthy Rick. Already our communication is skewed."

* * *

A/N:

Late posting this. Sorry!


	27. Proposal

"Love _is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell."_  
 _― Joan Crawford _

* * *

"So Boss, what's on the Agenda?" Tyrese asked standing in the doorway of my office.

"Agenda?"

"Yeah. I was headed down to the mailroom. Wasn't sure if you needed me to guard you against the frisky ladies again."

Agenda. I haven't had one of those since Michonne had started her new position. She was in San Diego more than she was in Georgia. We weren't having movie night often with the new arrangement, and the whole thing just didn't sit well with me. I couldn't believe how everything seemed chaotic in the office without Michonne keeping everything organized to the point I had advance notice of any changes to what was _not_ routine.

Every time I glanced at her empty desk I almost anticipated her to be sitting there typing away on her keyboard. The way her desk was positioned outside my office door I had a good view of her legs. She fidgets, and I noticed her legs in constant perpetual movement.

I wonder if she knew I was watching her beginning the second year of her employment. I would sometimes find myself transfixed when she would massage her calf muscle or her left leg would have the luxury to be caressed by her right leg calf. I realize she was aware I was watching because an eraser head would come flying through my doorway and hit me in the forehead. We participated in workplace violence because I would throw it back and sometimes my aim would hit her arm or right in the chest where it fell inside of her shirt.

"I think I have the ladies under control, thanks again for taking care of that audition fiasco, Tyrese."

"No problem, Boss."

Tyrese continued to stand in the doorway as if he was unsure of what to say next and I wasn't prepared for anything more from him.

"You should call her, Boss."

"I should do a lot of things."

"You need to make it official."

"That train left the station."

"You look like you still standing at the station, though."

"I'm aware."

"I think she would appreciate you flying out to San Diego to see her."

"She's not answering my calls nor my text. You said she moved out when I had you fly out there, right?"

"That was kind of Savage. Changing the locks on her."

"What would you think if you saw a man in your home? A man you told to stay away, but he was in your home with your Significant Other? Your own two eyes..."

"My boys, Mom, I couldn't trust. Not one word out of her mouth. I try not to let that experience with her cloud how I am with other women that want to explore a possible relationship. Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. I want my boys to know that every woman out there isn't like their mom. All that to say, I would have changed the damn locks too."

"Thank you for going out to San Diego and checking on the place and making sure it wasn't demolished."

"Just the glass door, sir. There were two empty purses left on the bed."

"What did you do with the purses?"

"I put them in the closet."

"Thank you, Tyrese."

"No problem, sir."

* * *

I began to understand her request for the very personal position of Operations and Finance. Michonne began to wove it in and out of our conversation at random.

Sometimes I can stare at Michonne and find myself aroused. We often engaged in the sweatiest lovemaking sessions and I had much rather lounge around in bed with her than out on the water discussing a topic that I wasn't very certain about based on my experience with Lori. I don't think, Michonne understands how possessive I would be if we were to officially take it there. I could easily hand over it all to this woman if I were confident that she wouldn't hurt me.

"A few of my relatives think that you are married."

"Why would they think that, Michonne?"

Michonne shrugged. She never turned to check the quizzical look on my face. She kept paddling. I kept paddling.

"You know I am not married." I said.

"I know."

"I don't even wear a ring. I don't have the telltale sign of a tan mark." I stated. I was confused. She didn't say another word. I stopped paddling and asked, "Where are we going with this conversation?"

"We never talked about marriage."

"Why would we?" I began back to paddling slowly.

"I have no idea regarding your thoughts on the matter."

"Why would _we_ , _you_ and _I_ have a conversation about marriage?"

"Forget it, Rick." Michonne began paddling with great effort. Left, right, left, right.

"No."

"Yes."

"What are _YOUR_ thoughts? I want to know _your_ thoughts. I know you have never been married. You never been married right?" I stopped paddling and waited for the answer.

"No." Michonne stated.

"Close?"

"No."

Her response I found hard to believe.

Really?" I questioned.

"Close is someone wanting to have the conversation."

"Close would be sending out invitations." I corrected her.

"I have never made it that far, Rick. I know you don't believe me. I have never had anyone ask me to marry them and I still say I am a good catch."

"I would agree, Michonne."

"I have always found myself wondering what it's like to find someone who is looking for a wife."

"You want to be a wife?"

"What made Jessie wife material?"

"What?"

"You proposed to her. She was your fiancée. You were ready to promote her to Mrs. Grimes, why?"

"Michonne."

"What?"

"I didn't marry her. Focus, Michonne."

"Don't tell me to focus. I am focused. I have a desired destination, and I couldn't help but overhear you tell your parents that we are still navigating. We officially blurred you know?"

"My gut is telling me to navigate us back to shore."

"Just say it, Rick! Just say I am not wife material."

"You want me to say that out in a Kayak with you, Michonne?" I felt around with my paddle and knew we were still in very deep waters.

"I am not suicidal, Rick. I am willing to bet I can hold my breath longer than you under the water and drown you if you were to say I am not wife material."

"Did we not do the Marry, Fuck, and Murder a couple of months back?"

"We did."

"I told you then, Michonne. I told you I would marry you. I can't believe you find me husband material. I didn't get to ask you who you would marry, fuck, murder because you got out the Jacuzzi before I could have my turn."

"I would certainly Marry you, I have, we have been getting it in plenty, sex wise and I just demonstrated I would drown your ass."

"It would have made more sense in my mind if you had asked me what made Lori marriage material. I married, Lori."

"Tell me."

"We were young when we started out. Our families thought we would make a good merger. We had them in our ear, and well, Lori wanted the attention that it would bring. Attention all on her. When that was done, we had our first kid, Carl. Attention was what drove Lori and then she woke up and realized I wasn't the one for her. Lori was marriage material because my parents pushed it. We had no clue what the fuck we were doing, and we didn't think anything through. We were in love. I can speak for myself that I was in love with Lori. We got married with an iron clad prenup. Now that I am older and much wiser, and have broadened my horizon, I know what I am looking for _IF_ I were entertaining the idea."

"So you are still looking?"

"Yes." I was looking directly at her. The back of her slender brown neck that was exposed because she had her dreads piled high on top of her head. Her dark skin glistened the more her toned arms flexed with the paddle to increase our speed.

"Outside the Kayak?"

"I have no reason to look outside the Kayak, Michonne."

"Look, Dad! We are about to beat you and Ms. Michonne." Carl exclaimed as he paddled.

"Last one to the dock has to cook for the family tonight!" Senior Grimes called from his two person Kayak that consisted of him and Carl. The other had Judith and Ms. Ella, Rick's mother and the fourth consisted of Lori and Shane.

Rick waited before proceeding with the conversation.

"For the record, my Dad asked again, and I told him, yes. I told him that you and I are seeing each other in that way and have been for awhile."

"What timing are you using, Rick? My wanting to blur, you blurring and not realizing it, my forced blur or our mutual blur?"

All I could do was blink.

"I need to know, Rick. If I am asked?"

"Who's asking that, Michonne?"

"Was it the Office Christmas Party?"

All I could do was blink.

"We will have so many anniversaries if we don't make a decision."

Michonne had stopped paddling. I stopped paddling.

"I know the exact time and date of when I wanted to blur with you. I also have the date and time when you were lying about blurring with me. I have the Office Christmas Party Date and our official blur date. That is 4 anniversaries, not counting Birthdays, Valentines, Christmas and just because of days."

"How do we determine just because of days?"

"You had flowers delivered to me twice last week. I didn't expect it, and I loved coming to work to find a bouquet there and when I got home to your beach house another bouquet. When I cooked you your favorite meal and got the clubhouse tickets for us, you enjoyed that right?"

"Sometimes I wonder how we veer and this is a case in point, Michonne. You insisted that you don't and that I veer."

"I have never denied veering, Rick."

"This is exactly what I am talking about, and we have just proven this shit again to them in this Kayak that we, you and I can't stay the course and follow the crowd. Now we have to cook. I didn't want to cook tonight, Michonne. I wanted to relax with you and my family at my parent's house on the river. Now you and I are on kitchen duty."

"I thought you liked to cook, Rick?"

"I like cooking for you. There is a big difference."

"We will make the easiest meal."

"What's that?"

"Spaghetti."

* * *

We were spending weeks at a time apart. The whole apart thing wasn't sitting right with me. I began to re-evaluate what I wanted in a partner, and the long distance wasn't something I wanted to get accustomed to, and I wanted to discuss that with Michonne on Face-Time.

Michonne what have you done to my bedroom?"

"I made it more comfortable. More relaxing."

"Where did you find the time to paint?"

"How long does it take to paint a room to a warmer more relaxing color based on your time to do things?"

"You've changed my curtains?"

"Your curtains did not go with my vision of airy beach theme. Outside there is the beach, the sand. I was trying to bring the outside inside."

"I called you, Michonne. You told me you were going to be busy in the office."

"I didn't have my phone on Rick."

"I texted you too. I called directly to your office and was told you haven't been to work in two days."

"I had texted you right back saying I was going to have my phone off because-"

"Michonne, who's that?" I knew exactly who that was that walked passed Michonne as we spoke. I saw him over her shoulders without a shirt on.

"Who's what?"

"In my house?"

"Rick-"

"You have Daryl in my house?" I saw red.

"Can I-"

"Fuck it, Michonne. Fuck it! Fuck it all to hell!"

"What's your problem?"

"It's my place! Mine. This is what the fuck you do to me? In my home?"

Rick throws his laptop across the room where it had broken.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm not here to fight."

"Who in the hell allowed you up on the eighth floor?" Rick questioned as he stood up from his desk.

"I did sir." Sasha walked in from behind Daryl.

"It's alright Sasha. If this Jackass fire you which he will most likely do, I will hire you over in the motorcycle world if it comes down to it. I am here to talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"We have plenty to talk about."

"I am calling security to have you both escorted out of here."

Daryl quickly began, " We were trying to surprise you for your Fucking Birthday."

"My Birthday?"

"She was getting the whole place redone to surprise you."

"My Birthday?"

"She told me it was your anniversary."

"My Birthday is two months from now."

"I tried to tell her that but she insisted it was the anniversary of your Birth coming up."

I was stumped. I stood their ready to call security but unable to do so. I missed an anniversary? This simplified level of code talk meant it had something to do with blurring if I didn't confirm with her which version of events were we going to go with. With out a confirmation it would be a constant celebration. I can handle birthdays, valentines and Christmas but random celebration I would have to nip in the bud with this woman.

"You are fucking up man and you putting me in it like I got something to do with it. I ain't messing around with Michonne. I'm messing around with this one, and I have been for a minute now. Michonne fixed us up. What you saw, what you think you saw was a woman making the place in San Diego a home for you and her, and I was helping. Nothing more. Everything was supposed to be a fucking surprise. The custom bike parked in your garage. An olive branch hoping to make amends because we've been friends too long to end it over a misunderstanding. But you seem to want to continue this shit. I ain't about to fight you in this office. You are going to lose Michonne if you keep this stubborn shit up."

"It's the truth, sir. I was there. I was in the other room helping with painting. She's devastated, sir." Sasha spoke up.

"I told you to stay away from her."

"You don't trust your girl? Don't worry about trusting me but really, you don't trust _her_?"

I didn't know what to think. I just felt, and _It_ hit me all at once, I would have to offer Michonne the very personal Operations and Finance position. I had to get to San Diego and hope she listened long enough for me to propose it.  
...

A/N:

I am a puzzle piece writer. Think of it as cards flipping. This is an extra piece to the puzzle that was presented. This is after the blur. This Chapter fleshes out more of Long Distance Chapter. Each piece fleshes out more of the other. Time is irrelevant after the blur, it is what's said or not said. I really need to put this stuff in the beginning of all my stories. LOL.

We have plenty of fantastic writers that put a lot of window dressing in their writing and write a linear story. I can't do that. I have a window with no curtains. I want you to see what ever it is you can but you have to be willing to see the different aspects presented in what may seem like chaos.


	28. I Think He Proposed

_"If I am to be fallen into love, I will. And if as a result I will appear to be stupid, disillusioned, and of poor judgment, I will. And I would be damned if I cared what other people think. For I would rather be thought of as all of these things, than not love. If in loving, I become the naked woman on the horse, I will ride that horse with my head held high. This is my spirit. I am unbreakable."_  
 _― C. JoyBell C. _

* * *

He changed the locks on his home. I had to go get a crowbar to break the glass door to get my stuff out. The asshole didn't give me an opportunity to make sure I had my stuff. I left my two favorite bags on his bed and left. If anyone were robbing homes, they would have scored majorly with his that night. I didn't care.

I stayed in a hotel until I could procure a place of my own. I thought Rick would come to his senses, but he didn't. I wasn't going to call him. I wasn't going to go chasing after him. When he was ready to talk, he would call me or text me. He did neither.

I was hurt. I was so into the blur that my reaction to Rick unblurring was delayed by a few days. I realized that he just broke up with me.  
He didn't answer my calls, and I left a couple of pathetic voicemails. I hated myself for doing it, but I could literally feel him unblurring. I was panicking, and I didn't want us to break up.

My text was blocked. Fuck you too, Asshole!

I've spent a week a teary-eyed mess in my new place. I couldn't go to work when I was functioning at 10%. I only got up to piss, shower, brush my teeth and back to bed with my scenarios and overflowing tears.

I got a call from Lori. I picked up on the third ring.

"He's on his way to San Diego, Michonne."

"I don't understand why he would. I'm done."

I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else.

"Rick is in love with you." Lori stated.

"Well, he can keep it. The love he has he can keep."

The love I needed had to be consistent and trusting. I was officially done with the paranoid schizophrenic kind that he was offering up.

"He's bringing, Carl and Judith with him." Lori informed.

"You're allowing that, Lori?" I was surprised.

"I have some issues in my own life where it is for the best until I can figure things out with Shane."

"You and Shane?" I was surprised by the reveal.

"We have been struggling for awhile. Watching you and my ex together made us wonder if we partnered up with the wrong person."

"I don't want Shane." I admonished where she was leading, where I thought she was leading. Her wording seemed accusatory even if she didn't mean it that way.

"I don't want Rick. I do want what you have together." Lori chuckled at Michonne's repulsion to the idea of being with Shane.

"Well, it went, POOF."

"He's a fool. I told him. His parent told him, and Judith went into hysterics when he tried to break the news to her that you and he were no more. Carl wasn't happy at all about it and told his father that it had to have been his fault and make up with you."

"Rick is wasting his time if he thinks I will ever forgive him."

"Are you sure about that?"

...

Now that I knew Rick was on his way, from more than one person, I had to prepare myself to rebuff him. I became instantly energized by my _pissivity_. I began my ritual in my office of working at the highest most efficient level that I removed 12 useless departments and had 20 Department heads demoted or terminated. I had reconfigured with a flow chart, and I even got rid of Executive Assistants for 7th-floor Senior leaders. How hard is it to write your own email and schedule your own damn meetings?

* * *

"What are you telling me, Carol?" Michonne questioned. She was busy in her office in San Diego with crunching numbers.

"He had to go toe to toe with Andrea." Carol tried to rehash everything that happened earlier in the day Eastern Standard Time.

"Andrea?"

"Honey, you use to be very sharp. I have no idea how you've become so dull all of a sudden. I am trying to share with you office gossip, Michonne."

"That you are spreading all the way here to San Diego?"

"Andrea wasn't happy that you took Sasha away. Mr. Grimes indicated he was going to request her termination from the company because of allowing someone, a former friend of his on the eighth floor but you had beat him to it."

"You were privy to all that?"

"He requested me to stay put. He needed a witness while he spoke to Andrea. You do know that he used to have some sort of relationship with her?"

Michonne sighed heavily.

"He terminated her based on your findings of her being ill-suited for the position she held. He had her disciplinary record on hand. I know that had to be your doing, Michonne."

"If you aren't doing your job effectively I can prove it. Andrea did it to herself. I had him prepared for any challenge from her. I knew the shit would go down."

"Andrea didn't know what hit her, Michonne."

Michonne shook her head. The glee filled tone from Carol in her ear was almost too much for her to endure. She wanted to hang up because the conversation was very inappropriate. She hung up on Carol.

Three things, Michonne came away with from that conversation, Daryl paid a visit, Andrea made an exit and Carol could be trusted.

...

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You are the new Operations and Finance Manager?"

"I am. My name is Michonne Benton, yours is?" I gazed upon the face of a handsome man. He was standing in the empty break room grabbing a free bottled water from the overstocked fridge. He had the face and voice similar to Vin Diesel and a body of a god.

"Niv Liddell."

"Which department?" I asked. I was in a firing mood and wanted to know if he was in the protected class or not.

"Actuarial Department."

"Actuary?" My response was more rhetorical. He was protected. I have yet to make it to that department to find out how better to fine tune the instruments they who worked there played.

"Recalculating the odds of accidents based on-" Niv began.

"I know what an actuary is but why would our computers not have those capabilities to adjust based on creating a new algorithm?"

"I handle coding and monitoring Algorithms." Niv stated simply.

"I have so many questions." I was intrigued to know more about this attractive man that was intelligent and seem to speak clearly in a voice that had me ready to swoon.

"Do you want to do it over lunch in 30 minutes?" Niv asked.

My eyes instinctively went from his face, his broad chest and to his hands. He wasn't married. I got more details about his life and his love of Action Heroes. A three-hour lunch could not be justified, but we had a three-hour lunch, and it was amazing to find someone who was attractive, smart, with a voice that stirred my ovaries, employed and loved all things comic books. He had a few that I would give almost anything to hold and caress.

"I have never met anyone in a long time that was as smart as me," Niv commented as they sat and had lunch in a small intimate Café.

"I like to keep mine under wraps." Michonne smiled across the table at Niv.

"Your secret is safe with me." Niv smiled back.

"Good." Michonne smiled assuredly.

"It's hard to meet someone that is your mental equal."

"I can agree with that."

"It's draining to have to come down to most people's level."

"I've adapted."

"You've been labeled weird, quirky, unusual?"

"Don't forget different." Michonne added.

"Shit is annoying." Niv had those terms applied to him. He could relate to Michonne. He was bi-racial.

"Especially when it's just you being you."

"The rejection. I would like to find or have a relationship with a black woman, but many of them think I am boring or too white. I don't get it."

"I have been told I'm _white man ready_ on more than one occasion." Michonne sighed.

"Shit's crazy when you don't fit a particular stereotype then you are labeled like some oddity."

There was an ease between us. We had quite a few things in common. Every day I would find him at my office door wanting to engage in conversation like we did during our first lunch together. I had a feeling he was prepping himself to ask me out, but Mr. Grimes waltzed right in with Carl and Judith.

"Yay!" Carl exclaimed running from the door straight to where I was standing from my desk readying myself for an embrace. Judith was just mere seconds behind him.

"Yay! Ms. Michonne we missed you! YAY! Daddy really misses you, and he even said so. He told me to get ready to call California home if we can't get you back to Georgia." Judith squealed.

"I've missed you both so very very much." Michonne glanced from both happy faces that still had their arms wrapped around her waist.

"Daddy also said he liked what you did to the beach house and that he wasn't thinking straight because he missed you so much. He says he is thinking clearly now." Judith volunteered eagerly.

"Who's this Michonne?" Rick's eyes did not leave the man that was sitting in my office.

Michonne noticed that Rick had the same crazed look that was ready to take control if an explanation wasn't provided promptly and to his satisfaction. She wasn't going to satisfy him.

"He is employed here, Mr. Grimes. What are you doing here?" Michonne asked. She was _NOT_ going to refer to him as _Rick_ so help her God.

"Mr. Grimes? The owner of Go Stop, Rick Grimes?" Niv cut in.

Niv was surprised that the man with facial hair was the same clean shaven, pristine suit wearing person standing in the doorway with a baseball cap t-shirt and worn jeans dressed in a pair of Nike's. The same guy.

"Mr. Grimes?" Rick repeated. He cocked his head to the side staring at me. I had gotten his full attention that we have un-blurred. His eyes indicated that he didn't consider that _we_ were on the _same_ page with reversing the blur.

"Sorry, Niv can you please leave us alone for a moment. Mr. Grimes has this thing about getting adjusted to his official business name. But yes, this is Rick Grimes, owner of Go Stop."

"IM?" Niv wanted to know if he and I would be instant messaging later.

"Okay."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Grimes. Good Day, sir."

"What the hell for, Michonne?" Rick wanted to know what would be IM between the two.

"We have additional sets of ears here, Mr. Grimes." I warned.

Rick's face colored. He wasn't happy. He was borderline angry.

"Daddy wants to talk to you in private, Ms. Michonne." Judith removed her arms from embracing Michonne.

"Who was that guy that was in here?" Rick asked again.

"He works here, and he is very similar to me. We have things in common." I said those words and I wanted them to rip, Mr. Grimes to shreds.

He quickly dug into his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a few dollars for his children to find a vending machine.

"Do not under any circumstances run through this building. Find a seat and drink and eat your snack. Do you understand what I require you to do?"

"Yes, Dad!" The two said in unison before walking hurriedly to the break room with a few dollars clasped in hand.

I waited for the kids to have left the room before continuing a conversation.

"What do you want?"

"Reassurances."

"What?"

"I am closing the door, Michonne."

"No, keep it open."

"I am closing the door. No more games. No more code. No more hiding." Rick closed the door to my office anyway, against my instruction not to do so.

"I am going to speak to you plain. I am a man who is afraid of what I feel for you. My emotions have run the gamut. I have been very upset, to extremely happy in the course of knowing you and every degree in between but one thing that has never changed is my desire to keep you in my life as a friend. I have never had a relationship with a woman like the one I have with you. You are not only smart, sexy, and great in bed-you are fun. I enjoy you. I enjoy you and everything about you. I can honestly say I feel like I know you in the most intimate way that took years with Lori and would have only been superficial with Jessie. I like that you aren't afraid to try new things and your enthusiasm makes me want to try them too. I love that we do a great many things together. I have to say-I like when we do something new and we talk about it in the car, on the couch or in the night when I'm holding you before we finally stop fighting sleep. I've been missing movie night with you, and my kids do too. Pizza isn't pizza without you, Michonne. It was your idea to stop all the pizza ordering and start cooking because that was what the kitchen was for and you wanted to spend more time there. We cook well together in my kitchen or your kitchen. We function well-."

"You locked me out, Rick. You didn't even let me explain."

"Daryl and your friend Sasha said-."

"They shouldn't have to tell you shit! You should have allowed me to explain. You should trust me. You don't trust me, and I refused to be with someone who can't differentiate between his ex-wife and me. I am not Lori, and it's not fair that you put her shit on me." Michonne was surprised she found her angry black woman.

"I know you aren't Lori. I know that in my heart. My mind tells my heart that, Michonne, but I am so afraid of what loving you can make me do, has made me do."

"Loving me?"

"I was in a blind rage, Michonne. You need to know that I will give you my 100 fucking percent! I won't be unfaithful to you. I would never disrespect you, and I just want the same in return. Michonne, you are my love, life and forever will be my wife."

"Are you asking me to officially take the Operations and Finance, Rick? For the love of all things about you, Rick! Are you asking?"

"With a fresh tattoo and no prenup."

"What?"

"Yes."

"Let me see, Rick." I walked over to him to see with my own two eyes.

"It hurts, Michonne." Rick whined. Rick pulled up his shirt's short sleeve to expose his upper arm where it was etched in his flesh, 'Michonne is my love, life and forever my wife.'


	29. It Can't Be Wiped Away

"Love _Her so much, that she might doubt your sanity... but never your Passion. Dean Jackson"_  
 _― Melanie Bennett, __Only For Makayla _

* * *

Rick had no one that he could verbalize his thoughts to when it was regarding his future. He called his ex-wife. Anyone else would have taken the news, his desire as a sign that Go Stop was in trouble or he was in some kind of financial trouble and that alone would or could cause a ripple effect in the stock market. Love was causing him to see the bigger picture. He wanted to make sure his vision was sound by bouncing it off of someone that knew his situation at best. Lori.

"I think I am going to step down." Rick offered what was swimming around as possibly a half baked idea.

"Really?" Lori questioned what she was hearing from her ex-husband.

"Really. I've given it a lot of thought." Rick confirmed.

"You are really going to make it official?"

"I can't keep a handle on Michonne in San Diego." Rick admitted his reasoning. He had to get to Michonne whether it meant to be all up under her or just in the same room.

"I thought this conversation was about you stepping down?"

"The minute she's away from me the more agitated I am. I'm fucking insecure about the dumbest shit and-"

"My fault?" Lori was ready for any possible travel down memory lane of how bad a wife she was and how she made Rick this way or that way. He didn't do it often like he did in the early years after their divorce and she was pretty glad that it was becoming a rare event to constantly feel like the bad person.

"I didn't call to place blame, Lori."

"Vent?"

"To inform you that I'm going to San Diego. I can take the kids if you are okay with that? Gives you time and Shane some time."

"Carl told you?"

"Judith."

"We need to figure out a way to get Judith to stop talking so much. I am really concerned, Rick."

"I am concerned about it too. I'm wondering if our daughter knows more than she should know at her age."

"I don't think she tells random people. I pray she doesn't. She shares a lot with Michonne. I don't have a problem with it because I know Michonne can be discreet." Lori surmised.

"I will have another talk with Judith."

"I should have never married, Shane." Lori admitted.

"You did and you need to work through it, Lori." Rick wasn't going to be the person to tell Lori to walk away. He always wondered if she had anyone that told her to try to work things out with him when she confided her unhappiness in their marriage years ago.

"We are going to counseling."

"Good."

"How long are you going to be in San Diego?" Lori asked Rick. She realized she didn't close the door to her office and she made sure to do it then after looking up and down the halls to see that it was clear. Her side of the conversation wasn't being overheard.

"However long it takes to get Michonne back to Georgia."

"What happened, Rick?"

"She likes San Diego."

"San Diego is a beautiful place. She's staying at your home in Del Mar, right?"

"She moved into her own place in Mira Mesa and that whole fact disturbs me." Rick thought for sure when he had sent Tyrese to his home, Tyrese would report back that Michonne was still in the beach home wallowing like _he_ was in Georgia. She was not. She had moved out.

"Will I have to call her to get the story?"

...

"What in the hell, Rick?" Andrea came charging into Rick's office while Carol was standing inside waiting for permission to decorate for the 4th of July company picnic. Family day.

"Carol, did you know Andrea was coming into my office at this time?" Rick eyed Carol, not once did he acknowledge Andrea with a glance.

"No, sir."

"This is impromptu. The news just got to me. Why in the hell did you get rid of my executive assistant?" Andrea demanded answers. She stood in front of Carol in order to be seen by Rick. Acknowledged.

"I didn't get rid of _YOUR_ Executive Assistant. I got rid of _ALL_ 7th-floor Executive assistants. I signed off on it when it hit my desk."

"There wasn't a discussion about this." Andrea countered.

"It was the bottom line, and the numbers indicated no discussion needed."

"Bottom line my ass." Andrea asserted. She was taking everything personal. An attack and she felt it was unprovoked.

"Your personal assistant was going to be fired. Did she tell you that?" Rick asked.

"What?"

"I had already signed off on this to remove this position a couple of weeks ago. The signatures from the officers were needed, and it was approved yesterday.

"Wait, what?"

"She allowed someone in the building to have access to my level. Eighth floor. I was going to fire her but come to find out her position was being phased out anyway."

"Who?"

"Michonne. She's in charge of Operations and Finance. She crunched the numbers."

"Michonne," Carol stated with a hint of a smile.

"For some reason, this seems Highly Inappropriate to place her in a position to-" Andrea began to counter the decision that was made that would force her to actually do her job.

"To offset spending on frivolity. Saving the company millions of dollars by cutting out departmental waste. Re-configuring how we can all work efficiently and remain profitable. Solvent?" Rick sat back in his chair waiting for Andrea's response.

...

"What are you doing, Dad?"

"Thinking."

"In the dark?"

"The Best way to do it."

"How come?"

"Filters everything out."

"Judith, come look at Dad. He's in the dark, thinking. He wants us to help him."

Rick found himself no longer alone in the living room. He was joined by both his children who were dressed in their Pajamas. He no longer had just the sounds of the waves from the open window. He had the thoughts of his children who wanted to help.

"What are you thinking about, Daddy?" Judith waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkened room before she proceeded further to sit next to her Dad on the couch while Carl took up residence on the other side of him.

"How to get Michonne back."

"You come up with any ideas?" Carl asked.

"I did."

"You can share them with us, Dad. We can tell you if it is a good idea. Ms. Michonne always said that we need to help you come up with good ideas because we have the best suggestions compared to you." Carl offered.

"I miss her. I miss her a great deal and I want to marry her."

"You think she is going to ask _you_?" Carl asked.

"Ms. Michonne _won't_ ask Daddy. She's waiting for Daddy to ask _her_. She said it is a significant job assignment, and she is ready for duty, but Daddy has to ask her."

"You've talked to Michonne about this?" Rick turned his head to Judith.

"Yes, Daddy. She said her love for you is like a Tattoo you can't just wipe away."

"What?"

"I asked her if she was done loving you too and she said her love for you is like a Tattoo, you can't just wipe away," Judith repeated.

"She's always talking to Ms. Michonne, Dad. Judith calls Ms. Michonne on FaceTime to read to her or us at night when we can't get Mom or Shane to do it. Ms. Michonne always makes us go and ask them first. I think she does it to make sure Mom and Shane know that we are on the computer at night." Carl said thinking in retrospect.

"Ms. Michonne is the best at Story time!" Judith exclaimed.

"I like when she uses different voices for the characters." Carl laughed lost in a passing thought and was quickly joined in by Judith who had a burst of giggles.

"When was the last time you talked to Ms. Michonne, Judith?" Rick asked his daughter who snuggled closer to him. He placed his sore arm around his daughter's shoulder to bring her close, Rick did the same with Carl.

"Yesterday. I told Ms. Michonne we are here in San Diego, and we will be in her office tomorrow."

"You told her we are in San Diego, Judith?" Rick couldn't believe his ears.

"I know you told me to keep it a secret, but I can't keep secrets from my best friend. Michonne is my best friend, Daddy. I promise you she will keep our secret." Judith insisted.

Rick could make out the face of his daughter who was staring up at him waiting for a response. "She's your best friend?"

"Ms. Michonne said you might get jealous over certain facts about it."

"Facts such as?"

"I tell her everything. I tell her when I am happy. I tell her when I am sad. I tell her when Carl is mad. She always wants to talk to Carl when he is mad. She said mad can't stay inside it has to be discussed away or it will grow and keep happiness out. She always asks where're Mom and Shane when Carl is M.A.D."

"You've been upset about something, Carl?"

"Not anymore. I talked to Ms. Michonne about it and then next thing I know you asked us to be with you and to come to San Diego and stay with you. I got most of what I wanted." Carl admitted to his Dad.

"If we can get Michonne to stay with us forever and ever we would have everything right, Carl?" Judith said to her brother, leaning her face on her father's chest to get a glimpse of Carl on the other side.

"We have to make sure Dad doesn't mess this up again. We have to hear more of his thoughts to make sure he is on the right track."

"Are all my thoughts being reported back to Ms. Michonne by any chance?"

"You took away our computer this morning," Carl informed.

"Good that I did. We are going to the office in the morning. We are going to go see Ms. Michonne." Rick reaffirmed.

"Why didn't you want Ms. Michonne to know that we are here in San Diego, Dad?" Carl wondered.

"Element of surprise. I didn't need Michonne to know because she would have so many scenarios in her head. I want to make sure she hasn't thought about any version in particular of how we are going to get back together and stay together. I only wanted one scenario, and it would be just the one I am presenting."

"Which is what, Dad?"

"I want to marry her."

"Are you going to ask her or tell her?"

"I'm going to ask her."

"Cool."

"Yay. Good idea, Daddy. Because your Love for Ms. Michonne is like a tattoo that can't be wiped away. Right, Daddy?" Judith asked.

Rick eyed the melting ice cubes he had in a clear plastic Ziploc bag that he had placed on the glass coffee table that reflected the condensation from the moonlight. He began to wonder just how much was Judith aware of.


	30. Abated Breath

_"If pain must come, may it come quickly. Because I have a life to live, and I need to live it in the best way possible. If he has to make a choice, may he make it now. Then I will either wait for him or forget him."_  
 _― Paulo Coelho, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept _

* * *

Rick texted me in the middle of the night. He had unblocked me. He was texting me and I hated how it made my heart ache. I tried to pretend that I did not notice. That was a battle. Curiosity got the best of me.

My mind was done with him. A small part of my heart was done with him too. My mind couldn't convince my heart to give up and let him go completely. I thought this time I was more equipped to un-blur. I was still miserably in love with him. He was _the_ _one_. The only one that completed me. I had no idea how long it would take to get over him but I was going to try. Apology would not be accepted if and when he did apologize.

I had only one scenario in my head regarding him unblocking me and that was to not make it easy for him. I wasn't going to make it easy _for_ _him_. It was the plan. He knew my weakness. Damn. I should have kept that shit to myself. He knew exactly how to make me come undone.

 **Rick:** I'm sorry.

It had been over two weeks since I had destroyed the glass door, longer since we made love. I ached and it was true I didn't drink alcohol and had nothing to dull desire and the fire that grew when we connected in all ways intimate. He said he was sorry and he was proving it the more he typed. He always shied away from sexy talk. He would either draw a blank or I was the narrator. I wasn't going to text to help him.

 **Rick:** This sucks. I need you.

 _He needs me. I waited._

 **Rick:** You know I am not the one to make promises that I don't intend to keep. I can't keep this under wraps. You. I want _you_. I am unofficially making it official.

 _He wants me. Unofficially. I waited._

 **Rick:** I want to bury my face in between...

 _What? Who in the hell is texting?_

 **Rick: ...** your legs. I miss the taste...

 _Rick? My eyes were the size of saucers. I had to snuggle in and relax alone in my bed if he was going to proceed._

 **Rick** : Am I asking too much to want to eat you out?

 _Never. In my mind I had him right between my legs. I wasn't one to shy away from my Kit Kat being licked._

 **Rick:** Am I asking too much for you to sit on my face?

 _Oh my. So I am not lying on my back? I am on my knees hovering over those nice pink lips. Yeah baby._

 **Rick:** You like when I take my tongue and...

 _I do. Oh my, I need some water but my lady parts are wet and the mood has been set. Keep going Rick. Keep going. Don't stop. Please for the love of all things Rick Grimes do not stop..._

 **Rick:**...tease that spot. You know the spot that makes you...

 _I know. It makes me lose my mind. It makes me move my hips and grab your hair and pull. Wait I am on his face. It makes me want to sit and ground one out when his tongue plunges inside and curve so close to my g-spot._

 **Rick:** beg me not to stop. Beg me. I love when you beg me. I am the one that makes you...

 _The temperature under my blanket became unbearable. I had to touch myself. I had to work my hand from my nipples, touching myself along my chest down to my abdomen and my sweet spot that reminded me that he was better than any vibrator._

 **Rick:** **...** want to kiss me after. After I have made you cum. Your sweet juices. You all over my tongue. I love the taste of you. Two fingers...

 _Yes. Those fingers. He has me on my back now. He has me positioned to finger me._

 **Rick:** easing in slow. You are still on top of me Michonne. Your mouth above mine. I can still reach you to finger you. Just the way you like for me to finger you. I know your spot. I know how to hit your spot. I stroke it. I stroke that spot slow. I love helping you rub one out. I want you to suck my two fingers when I am done with you. I want you to suck them.

 **Michonne:** Rick

I caved. I texted. Damn it but I was close and I knew he was close.

 **Rick:** Michonne

Whenever he made it to San Diego I knew I was going to be fucking easy. Shit.

...

I have given this man many hints way before the blur. I had even created PAM. I had hoped he understood my code talk. I refused to believe at the time he could be so dense. Judith got it and even Carl. Well, Carl got it eventually. He is kind of slow like his Dad when it came to anything romantic.

"I love story time Ms. Michonne. I love PAM so much. I hope my Daddy marries her. I love her."

"Well, the only way it can happen he has to ask. He has to get on bended knee, in front of witnesses with the most beautiful ring."

"Dad, only has one Personal Assistant and that is you, Ms. Michonne, and he definitely won't ask you because he would be breaking at least ten company rules," Carl informed.

"You may be right." I sighed in agreement with Carl to appease him. "PAM isn't me the M could mean a Misses. A lovely woman who likes kids. Loves his children. Assist him with his children on almost every Friday."

"M is for Michonne! I want PAM to be, Ms. Michonne. Why don't you want it to be Ms. Michonne, Carl?" Judith became even more animated with her agitation with her brother.

"Dad doesn't break the rules. Michonne-Ms. Michonne's story is about a person who comes along and gets Dad's life in order because he lives in Chaos, and in his head. He misses out on all the fun because he won't open his eyes to all the possibilities." Carl glanced from Judith to Michonne for approval of his retelling of Ms. Michonne's story of Adventures with PAM that had his father as the main character.

"When Dad opens his eyes who do you think he's going to see? He's going to see you, Ms. Michonne and me. I don't understand how PAM to you is Personal and Magnificient, Carl."

"Ms. Michonne used those words a lot in telling the story. Weren't you listening, Judith?"

A voice in the doorway of the bedroom cleared his throat.

"How long have you been standing there, Mr. Grimes?" I was surprised he was just standing there. I had no idea for how long or how much he heard.

"Long enough to gather that I am going to marry PAM."

"PAM is not who you think, Dad," Carl informed.

"I have no idea what to think because I don't know a PAM." Mr. Grimes replied.

"She's a character in Ms. Michonne story. You can move the M in front of the P, but PAM says it makes things to obvious." Judith eagerly told her Dad.

"Obvious?" Mr. Grimes questioned. He was completely confused and he wore the look well.

"I am not retelling this story to you, Mr. Grimes." I refused. His tone indicated it was going to be a discussion between him and me later that night on the couch after the kids were asleep.

Mr. Grimes avoided eye contact with Michonne after a brief stare down.

"What is PAM like in this story, Judith?" Mr. Grimes asked his daughter.

He wanted to glean as much information as possible because it was going to be like pulling teeth from Michonne later that night on the couch after the kids _were_ asleep.

"She's beautiful, fun; she's very smart." Judith summarized.

" _Very_ smart." Carl agreed.

Judith continued, "PAM takes care of us and makes sure we are safe. She helps you to keep your Cape in the closet. Your Cape hangs next to her Cape. She says your Cape is blue and her Cape is white. She has no stains on her Cape. Sometimes you fly with PAM to rescue people from car accidents, and you have magical powers to make the cars brand new again."

"Why is PAM cape white?" Mr. Grimes asked. He was curious.

"Clean slate for you," Carl stated.

...

I couldn't believe my eyes. It was etched in his flesh- _WIFE_. I was stunned for a moment until he spoke. He talked about how painful it was and that he almost lost consciousness. I was losing consciousness because I was holding my breath waiting for him to fall to his knees and propose. He didn't. He went on and on about how he would never in a million years get another Tattoo. Never again. I wanted to kick him in the back of his leg to make him go to his knee. Bend damn it. I was going to accept no witnesses as long as he had bended knee and a frigging ring. He didn't bend and didn't reveal a ring.

"Ow, Michonne. Why did you hit me? My arm still hurt." I surprised Rick with a slap on his arm that had the fresh tattoo.

"What do you take me for?"

"What?"

"You half-way offered me something. You dangled nothing to entice me to scream to the heavens, Rick."

"What in the hell are you talking about, Michonne?"

"You think I am going to ask you, Rick you have another thing coming."

"I am not asking you to ask me. If you were to ask me my answer would be yes, Michonne."

"If you don't offer this position that I have been waiting for properly I am going to hit you again, Rick."

"I am not going to make anything official like this. I want to do it right."

"So there is another way?"

"Well, yes."

"Well yes, what?"

"Yes."

* * *

A video clip.

Lori had documentation before the blur. The budding romance. They had a short video streaming once Rick and Michonne were seated.

Michonne was blindfolded and with the sound of the ocean she knew she was back at the beach house. What she wasn't able to see were the numerous vehicles parked outside or the amount of people on the inside of the home. Her family and Rick's family. She never entertained this scenario.

Various snapshots began slowly the first that was surprising was the one on the boat.

Lori had captured her ex-husband with his Personal Assistant standing by the boat rails together with the night sky and the moon as their backdrop.

"Can anything get any better than this, Mr. Grimes?" Michonne asked holding onto the railing of the Yacht.

"No," Rick responded standing next to Michonne. He was gazing a little too long at Michonne before he realized _he_ _was_ and he quickly glanced out at the midnight sky that held a very bright moon.

Lori narrated, "This is what falling in love looks like."

Lori's contribution, a snippet, snapshot of random moments between Rick and Michonne meshed together by Michonne's cousin who was in attendance, T-dogg.

Rick's ex-wife had scenes of Rick's Yacht, his beach house, the trip to Europe, the Bahamas and Christmas day spent at her home. Rick's interactions with the woman he insisted was nothing more than a Personal Assistant to _Carol_ indicated she was much more than that to him by the way he looked at Michonne, admired her. It was in his eyes, love. What he thought he was concealing, he was failing at miserably.

"This also, when I knew Rick was in love," Lori's voice that was recorded for the scene that she filmed of Rick and Michonne window shopping in Italy, unbeknownst to them. Michonne was pointing to something in the window and Rick standing beside her admiring the animation on Michonne's face as she spoke. Another photo of Michonne staring at Rick and a short video of Michonne walking away and Rick's eyes traveling to gaze at her ass.

There were a few more short videos gathered from those in attendance but plenty more pictures. A collage of sorts. A high degree of irrefutable evidence. Rick Grimes was in love and Michonne Benton was in love with him.

Michonne's parents had a brief glimpse of After the Blur including Ms. Ella's Rick's mother at Christmas and the house on the River. Photos that they too had provided with a short narration.

Dr. Benton, Michonne's father narrated, "My daughter has never been happier. I am glad he can make her smile the way she did on New Years Eve."

A photo of Michonne lighting up when Rick appeared at the outdoor event in Miami.

Last was the voices of Carl and Judith.

"I don't know how many rules my Dad had broken but I am glad he made an exception for Ms. Michonne." Carl narrated after two photos of his Dad and Ms. Michonne.

The next clip was of Judith and Rick going shopping for the ring.

"My Daddy took me ring shopping for Michonne. He had an idea of which ring she wanted because _I_ _helped_ _him_. Ms. Michonne sent me the photo of what she said was the _most_ _perfect_ _ring_. _Just_ in _case_ Daddy wasn't sure of what to pick out since they never had a discussion about it. I had to make sure he didn't pick out the wrong one and that he went to the right jewelry store to buy it. I told him her ring size. See, Ms. Michonne..." Judith voice on the video had Michonne beaming from ear to ear. Michonne had her praying hands right at her nose and mouth to prevent from squealing as tears streamed down her face.

On the video it showed Rick opening the box at the same time that he was going to his knees in front of his family and Michonne's family in real time.

...

I was in absolute awe and in tears. The video was funny, beautiful and proof he blurred a long time ago. Way before the Christmas party. Somewhere during pizza and the official exit of Jessie from his life. We blurred around the same time. It was when I began to see him differently too. He was more than just an attractive boss. He was a man with children open to adventure with someone that was looking for the same. Rick was seeking a woman that could fry the bacon and never once forget he was the man that would do anything for her to help her achieve her goals. He and I preferred it as a team, which made it more awesome.

The ring on the video versus the ring that was opened right in front of me was exactly what I wanted. I was surprised and excited. This was what I anticipated and I had to fight the panic attack if he didn't hurry and just ask. I think he was about to suffer from a panic attack too.

"I love you, Michonne. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He was on bended knee as I sat on the couch with our family witnessing the moment.

"I love you too, Rick. I want to spend every _waking_ minute with you."

He eyed me and I eyed him right back. I was holding my breath again. I waited with abated breath.

"Will you marry me?"

" _Yes_."


	31. Married With More Children

_"I read once that the ancient Egyptians had fifty words for sand & the Eskimos had a hundred words for snow. I wish I had a thousand words for love, but all that comes to mind is the way you move against me while you sleep & there are no words for that." _  
_― Brian Andreas, Story People: Selected Stories & Drawings of Brian Andreas _

* * *

Michonne. Michonne. Michonne. Sigh.

I had to show her a blindfold to get her in the car. It was the only thing that enticed her. Luckily there was a bandana in the car that belongs to Judith's doll that had fallen off. I had to think quick to convince Michonne that I did have a surprise for her.

Judith and Carl were excited about Michonne wearing a blindfold and the constant chatter of Michonne asking if we were passing certain landmarks gave way to where we were headed. My beach house.

Soon as we were inside and in the theater room, I took the blindfold off, and Michonne was entirely surprised. I did surprise her. Her family and my family all in attendance. The look on her face, I hoped someone was filming. An emotional Michonne is a beautiful sight to behold. I took her hand and led her to the two vacant seats in front of the large projection screen, and T-Dogg dimmed the lights, and instantly we were submerged in the blur.

The video presented was nothing but a collage of blur. I was engrossed in the fact that I loved this woman for a very long time. The man in the video eyes portrayed a love sick puppy. The man was me.

This woman was blurring and oozing blur in every photo. I hadn't seen the finished production. Everything was new to me as it was for Michonne. We were experiencing this together. I couldn't believe how flagrant I was with, Michonne. I was giving off signals, and she was reading me right when I told her she was wrong and anyone who thought we were when we weren't, but we gave the impression that we were was out of their minds. How long was I in denial?

I do think I became attracted to Michonne somewhere between her telling me to go sit my ass down in my office to having her agree to spend time with us on the third time of having Pizza that included bumper cars. I had the incredible urge to bump into her constantly with my car. I couldn't continue with Jessie when the comparison was so glaring.

Michonne's eyes were glued to the screen when the ring box opened, and my movement tore her eyes away to watch me as I got down on one knee and proposed. Real-time.

I think I was about to suffer from a panic attack. My heart was racing.

"I love you, Michonne. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I was on bended knee while she sat on the couch with our family witnessing the moment.

"I love you too, Rick. I want to spend every _waking_ minute with you."

I eyed her, and she eyed me right back. I could tell she was holding her breath again. I was trying to catch mine, but I couldn't keep her waiting with abated breath.

"Will you marry me?" I asked the woman I wanted more than all the money I was worth.

" _Yes_."

Her hand was out, and she was ready for me to slide the ring on her finger, and it was perfect just like her lips. I kissed her. I didn't care who was looking or how inappropriate it was to do with onlookers. I kissed her, and she kissed me back. We had cheers but what broke us apart was Judith.

"Yay! They kissed! Now Daddy, can Michonne see your snake?"

...

* * *

Michonne and I spent a lot of time dancing. We had a dance teacher, and we were considered naturals. Internet sensation did not compare to having a life where Michonne and I found our unique rhythm in and out of the bedroom. She continued to work and spent most of her time in Georgia. If she went to San Diego, I was only 24 hours behind her with the children.

I kept Michonne good and pregnant. If I could have had her barefoot and pregnant I would have but we are awaiting our third child and her dressed in a pair of sweats and tank top that framed her eight months stretched belly was close enough.

"I'm not going to work in the morning. I am exhausted."

I stretched out my legs on the bed, my back against the headboard. The baby monitor was on my night stand. I watched Michonne take her hair out of the ponytail, and her dreads fell past her shoulders. She turned from the dresser mirror and gave me a quizzical look.

"Okay." She said.

"I am serious, Michonne. I am really tired."

"Sure." She didn't believe me.

"I dropped Carl at his friends house and Judith over to stay with Lori for a few days before the both of them are back to live with us full-time. I had the babies with me all day. I'd just put the babies to bed, and that isn't an easy task after bathing them both, you know," I remarked.

Abigail was the easiest. Andre was three years old, and he was a different story. He would stay up all night if permitted to do so and he didn't like clothes. We would find him naked running through the house and pissing on the potty instead of in the potty if left unattended for more than five minutes.

"Good." She quipped.

"Andre finally allowed me to put on his PJs. I told him that, Momma doesn't like for him to sleep in just his pull ups."

"WE don't like for him to sleep in just his pull-ups."

"Well, I don't care how he sleeps as long as he is covered and asleep." I countered.

"Abigail wears her pajamas. He will wear them because WE want him to wear them. Why must you do that?" Michonne scolded her hands on her hips.

"I am preparing my son for code talk. I am preparing him to know when a woman requests something it is in his best interest to do as told."

"You are flipping the script, Mister. You are using my lines against me. You think that when I beat you to bed, I don't want to have sex. You think that by me telling you all that I have to go through with Andre and Abigail, your daughter that I had just less than a year and a half ago mind you, is to blow you off. It is not. I am knocked up again by you, Rick. I have every reason to not go to work. You have no reason to _not_ get up in the morning to show your face at GO Stop."

"When I said I was going to be hands on with my kids and help out Michonne. I meant that."

"You have proven that on more than one occasion, Rick. You have. I appreciate you helping me, and I am with you on the no Nanny business."

"We have our hands full. We haven't even come up with a name for the baby and It will not be Blur Grimes."

"We do and will, and I was just kidding about naming the baby Blur. You won't let me forget that you have no sense of humor. It was a joke."

Our baby was due in less than a month.

"I love you."

"I love you. Nothing has changed, Rick."

Sometimes I needed reassurance from Michonne. I needed to know that we were okay and sex provided that security reinforcement.

"I'm not going to work in the morning." I reaffirmed.

"It's not because you are tired."

"Exhausted." I gave her the exact word that I used.

"You are hoping to get some of this good stuff, stop playing and help me get on top of you because I am horny right now."

Michonne was all baby the third time around. I watched her pull the tank over her head, revealing the most beautiful brown round belly that held our baby.

"I am really tired, Michonne." I pretended still.

Her eyes were on my arousal that tented my pajama pants. I was at full attention looking at her breast that was two different sizes.

"I will make this quick." She licked her bottom lip. When she did that she knew I wasn't going to resist. That bottom lip of hers. Never chapped.

I knew she was mimicking me when I was in need of sex from her, and she was feeling too tired. I would say I would make it quick and within five minutes or less I would grunt or pant out that I made it as fast as possible for her. She would grind her ass into me indicating I didn't give her enough time to enjoy and I had to do quick work with my fingers or tongue. Most times she wanted to go straight to sleep.

I was horny, and I didn't care. I wanted Michonne if she was willing and offering.

I had to contain myself with Michonne who was still sexual but less so with this third pregnancy. She was far enough along where I still wanted to be careful and her on top did not make it easy because I wanted to flip her over or off at random to get her in different positions. I had to stay focus that once I came, that was going to be it for a few days if not a whole week and then the six-week drought.

Michonne likes the lights on, and I didn't mind one bit. I like getting lost in her eyes. I like her straddling me. I love when she begins that slow rotation of her hips. I love the long drawn out kiss before she starts to get revved up and ride me.

I like vocalizing it. I can't believe I use to keep all the words inside. I am surprised I hadn't gone into cardiac arrest when we began having sex. I can only last a minute and thirty seconds without saying a word or sound. After a minute and a half, I was giving out instructions for her to take it slow. I wanted to last longer than four fucking minutes.

I didn't want a quickie. Michonne wanted a quickie, but I didn't. I wanted to enjoy the slower pace, and the snug fit that she attributes to doing Kegel exercises.

"How much do you love this?"

"I love it. I love when you-"

Michonne's belly was blocking my view. I loved to see my penis being worked like a magician; now you see it now you don't. Her belly in the way I couldn't get a good visual. I would like watching when Michonne's eyes closed, glimpsing myself pounding into her or she making my dick slick with her juices was a turn on.

"When I what? Tell me." Michonne commanded to hear dirty talk.

She was speeding up. I didn't want her to go faster.

"Baby, slow down. Slow down baby."

"What?" Michonne stopped, and I was confused.

"Don't stop. Please."

"What did you call me?"

"Please for the love of all things Michonne Grimes, let's do this."

"No, Rick what did you call me? Repeat it."

"Michonne."

"No."

"Baby?"

"Yes."

I had no idea where we were going with this. I knew I was in the moment when I said it.

"You never called me that before."

"Was it a good thing or a bad thing, Michonne?"

"You never said it before. You have never referred to me as your, Baby."

"You are my baby, Michonne. I am going to take care of you baby. I am going to always be here for you baby. I am always going to want to do this with you baby. Baby I love-."

"I fucking love you." She held my face in her hands.

This woman kissed me in a way that reaffirmed I was a lucky man. I was the luckiest man in the world. That kiss. Yeah, that kiss. We officially lasted three minutes before we shared an orgasm at the same time. It was loud, intense and earth shattering. I fucking love her too.

The end  
A/N:  
I hope everyone enjoyed this story. I wanted to show all things inappropriate whether in a workplace or to start a relationship.


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